A Winter Tale
by Stryder2008
Summary: Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home for the holidays when a freak snowstorm strands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson, he may just find something worth believing in. M/M unrelated SAM/DEAN, SLASH Rated: T: Not graphic
1. Serendipity

_Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure. No copyright infringement intended._

 _ **Synopsis:**_ _Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home to his not so perfect life for the holidays, but when a freak snowstorm stands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming he may find a new reason to celebrate the season. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson during the most festive time of the year, he might just have found something worth believing in._

 **NOTE:** This story focuses on un-related Sam and Dean as they find one another on a blustery Christmas night. It is a romantic Christmas story. Very light on the SLASH action, but it is there.

Rated T.

Don't like? Don't read it. SLASH M/M relationship!

 _Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, all grammatical errors are my own._

 _ **Please Review: So I know there's interest**_

Chapter One

 _Serendipity_

Winter storms were a hazard of flying during the winter in certain areas. Jackson Hole, Wyoming was one of those tragically affected airports when the northern storms blew down. And as luck would have it, one of those storms with blizzard conditions had made its' way down from the cold northern regions of Canada. It had already put down eleven inches of snow and it was still falling in heavy sheets that blanked out the starry night sky. The airport was a small one, but catered to some of the richest people in the world. Private jets were a common sight in the valley surrounded by the Grand Teton Mountain range.

The area was home to many winter and summer homes for the uber wealthy. It was one such residence that had brought Sam Wesson out this close to Christmas. His firm was closing a huge deal to represent the growing startup. The young woman had wanted to meet at her cabin, since she was spending the holiday there with friends and family. Sam had only agreed as long as they understood that he had to be back in Chicago for the holidays. His son would be expecting him and Sam didn't like to disappoint Adam. The child had already lost his mother to a debilitating disease two years ago.

Sam's father had agreed to watch the nine year old while he attended to business. He hated to leave the energetic little boy, but sometimes being a senior partner in a large law firm didn't leave him with a choice.

Sam leaned against the counter; his expensive wool trench coat swirled around his calves. His sable hair fell forward and he brushed it out of his eyes. "What do you mean the flight is cancelled? It's two days until Christmas. When will it be _un-cancelled_?" The clerk smiled apologetically as she searched through her computer. Her red hair was pulled back in a French-twist and her hazel eyes were searching for anything that might help the upset traveler in front of her.

"I'm so sorry, sir. But there doesn't appear to be anything until tomorrow. The airline can offer you vouchers at one of several motels." She smiled again. "It's very picturesque. The snow is amazing this year."

Frustration soaked through Sam and he shook his head. "I'm sure it is. But I have a family I need to get back to and none of them are staying in those hotels." He wasn't rude, just honest as he held out his hand for the voucher. The disappointment was plain on his handsome face as he turned from her and grabbed his bags.

The trip to the hotel was short and he was so focused on trying to get cell phone signal that he missed the brightly colored lights that were strung throughout the small town. When his signal refused to cooperate Sam huffed and shoved the devious little device back inside his coat. And for the first time, he looked up. Garland was strung across the road and lights twinkled through the falling snow. The wind was just starting to pick up and the tiny frozen flakes were beginning to swirl in patterns of rising and falling waves.

The airport shuttle pulled up in front of a huge log cabin hotel complete with the biggest Christmas tree that Sam had ever seen. There was a rustic glow to the place that spoke of age and care. The huge entryway was trimmed in red and green. Several large trees were placed strategically around the shiny wood counter. A woman in a sleek Santa hat and expensive suit coat waived to get his attention.

"Mr. Wesson?"

Sam frowned. "Yes…" He answered slowly before setting his bags on the floor and pulling his black leather gloves from his long slender fingers.

"The airport called and said you were on your way. We have a room available, but I'm afraid it's an adjoining room and there's nothing I can do about that. The hotel is now fully booked thru the holidays."

"I'm sharing a room?" Sam asked, incredulous at the idea. His day was getting worse by the minute and his heart was aching at the idea of not spending Christmas with his little boy. He did his best not take it out on the woman in front of him. After all, it wasn't her fault the storm had decided to smack the western regions.

She looked surprised. "No. Not _sharing_ a room. It's just attached to another room and…however...it does share the bathroom." The woman at least had the where-with-all to look chagrined about the revelation.

"Great." Sam muttered as he held his hand out for the key.

"Our handyman will bring your bags up in a few minutes." The woman called after him.

Sam thought that was a bit strange. Why wouldn't the bellhop just bring it up? When he saw the aged and bent old man that stepped up to show him to his room and he instantly understood.

The bellhop showed him to the second floor room and Sam had to admit that it was beautiful. There was an enormous king-sized bed and it was draped in soft red duvet that fell in gentle waves to the floor. The hotel had actually set up a Christmas tree in the corner of the room near an actual fireplace. Not one of the natural gas heating units, but an actual wood-burning fireplace. A large metal crate was settled beneath the mantle, filled to the brim with split wood ready to be burned in a merry dance of flame and heat.

XXXX

Dean Winchester stomped off the heavy snow that was clinging to his boots and his leather jacket as he stepped back inside the rustic, yet elegant, hotel. The bar had been a complete bust so he'd had a couple beers and played a few rounds of pool before calling it a night. The storm was really picking up steam outside and he shivered as the warmth from the enormous fireplace in the common room settled into his bones. Anna, the woman behind the counter smiled at him and he grinned back.

"Hey Anna. We full up tonight?" He sauntered around the counter and rolled up his jacket, tucking it under the long reception counter.

"We are now. Last guest just checked in. Matter of fact he left his luggage here if you want to take it up to his room?" She smiled a coy little smile and Dean threw on his most charming grin. He'd been debating on taking the woman up on the flirting she'd been doing over the last month, but he'd promised himself this time was going to be different. He wasn't going to start something he couldn't finish.

He grabbed his tool belt from under the counter and strapped it around his lean hips. "Sure. Which room?" Water dripped from his spiky blonde hair and he reached up wiping the melting snow from his face as he waited for further directions. He'd taken this job when his baby, a 1967 Chevy Impala, had needed new tires and an engine rebuild a month ago. He'd been working on the classic car when he wasn't needed at the hotel. The owner had been kind enough to let him park it in one of the garages generally kept for big wigs.

Anna's face fell and she looked slightly guilty. Dean furrowed his eyebrows and leaned seductively against the counter. He could see the infatuation in the young woman's eyes and he used it to his advantage. _Hell, she hasn't worked all that hard to keep it hidden._ He thought. "What did you do, Anna?" He asked playfully.

She pulled her lower lip between white teeth and shrugged her shoulders in feigned innocence. "I gave the guest the staff room adjoining yours…"

Dean's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "You did what? Why?"

"His flight got cancelled and he didn't have anywhere to stay. I figured it was better than telling him we've been sold out for three months." She tried to smile as she waited for his response.

Dean pulled in a breath and then shrugged his own shoulders. "Guess I'm sharing my bathroom now, right?"

She nodded guiltily.

 _Great, that's all I need. A pissed off old curmudgeon of a guy that is being forced to share a bathroom with the help. That's going to go over great._ His silent thoughts had him shaking his head as he grabbed the roller bag sitting near the luggage cart.

"Alright. Fine, I'm just gonna get this to his room before the old guy dies of a heart attack or something." Dean was already striding away in long ground eating steps before Anna could correct his mistake.

Dean carried the bag up the large curving staircase. His eyes drawn to the twinkling lights that wrapped around the mahogany banister along with beautiful garland that twisted around every single piece of wood. There were enormous poinsettia plants strategically placed along the steps adding a splash of red to the sea of green.

He took a deep breath before rapping on the door next to his and waiting as he heard shuffling on the inside. "Just a minute." A man's voice called.

 _Funny, you don't sound like an old guy._ Dean thought just as the door was thrown open and his eyes were forced to travel up the bare chest of a man that was maybe thirty years old before landing on a face that would most women swoon. Water was still dripping from his freshly washed hair and it was traveling in tiny little patterns down his perfectly sculpted chest. Then the drop had to navigate the nearly Adonis looking abs before finally soaking into the white of the towel. The fluffy material was wrapped loosely around lean hips and very long legs. The guy had to be pushing six foot five and Dean found that he had to swallow his initial reaction. It wasn't often that he was caught completely off guard, but this was definitely one of those times.

He put on his best 'swagger' and pulled the bag in front of the man. "Your bag?" He asked with a cheeky little smile.

The guy smiled and something flip-flopped inside Dean when two deeply set dimples popped out. "Yes. Thank you." He reached out to take it and his fingers brushed, ever so slightly, over Dean's and there was a tiny little tremor that transferred between them at the touch. Dean pulled his hand away like he'd gotten burned when he saw the same confusion in the other man's eyes.

He quickly changed the subject. Although in hindsight, this wasn't much better than the touching. "I see you found the bathroom okay." Dean wasn't sure what to say now. He just knew that he wanted to talk to this guy more…a lot more. Something about his voice was like music to Dean's ears.

"I did. Thank you." The man glanced down at the blank nametag on Dean's shirt. "I'd thank you by name, but you don't seem to have one." There was a slight twinkle in his blue-green eyes and Dean couldn't stop the snort at the irony of that statement. _You have no idea how true that is._

"Dean. My name is Dean." He held out his hand and waited for the man to return the introduction.

Warmth seeped into the taller man's almond shaped eyes as he extended his own hand in greeting. "Sam. Sam Wesson."

The handshake was strong and warm and Dean wondered when he felt his hand engulfed in the larger hand of Sam, just exactly how tall this guy actually was. "Sorry to hear you got stuck in Wyoming during Christmas, Sammy."

A slight frown worked its' way onto Sam's forehead. "No…just Sam. Not Sammy. 'Sammy' is a fat twelve year old. And I'm sorry about that too."

Dean couldn't stop his snarky reply. "Are you saying you were a fat twelve year old?"

Sam's mouth popped open and he closed it several times before Dean interrupted his lack of response.

"Cuz you're certainly not fat now." Dean couldn't believe he'd actually said it out loud. He'd been thinking it, but he hadn't planned on saying it.

Sam started to respond but was interrupted when a couple exited the room up the hallway from him.

The woman, who was now, walking by with her husband nearly tripped over a plant as she stared at Sam in abject appreciation. Her portly husband glared at the man standing in his doorway half dressed. Suddenly both Dean and Sam realized that one of them was standing in the doorway of hotel _half naked_. "Uh…I should get some clothes on." Sam said as he started backing into the room.

Dean nodded and took a step back. "Well, have a good night. And let me know if you need anything." He pointed at his blank nametag.

"Sure, I'll just ask for the man with no name." Sam shot back with a quirk to his lips.

"They'll know exactly who you're talking about." Dean responded with a smile.

Dean started stepping away and he missed the curious expression on Sam's face as he slowly closed his door. He couldn't help the small smile that was now pulling at his own full lips as he turned to the door next to Sam's and slipped inside.

XXXX

Sam pushed the door shut and laughed to himself before shaking his head. His cellphone started ringing and he rushed to grab the device before the signal disappeared again. A grinning little boy popped up on the screen with the caller ID.

Sam sank down onto the bed and swiped the 'answer' button. "Hey buddy. What're you doing up so late?" He knew that it was after midnight in Chicago and the little boy had likely snuck his phone under his sheets at his grandparent's house to avoid being caught.

"Hey dad. I just wanted to talk to you. When are you coming home?" There was a hopeful timber the child's voice and Sam felt his heart constrict at it.

"Oh buddy, my plane got delayed, so it might be a little bit before I get back." Sam's heart broke a little more at the silence on the other end of the phone. "Adam, I promise I'm going to do everything I can to get back to you by Christmas."

"That's only two days away, dad. And you can't control the weather." There was another brief pause. "I guess if we have to celebrate after Christmas that's okay."

Sam could hear his son trying to be mature about the whole thing. But he hated that his little boy was that 'mature'. Adam had suffered more loss in his short life than most adults do. The loss of his mother had been tragic for them both and Sam had done his best not to bring anyone into the child's life that wouldn't be staying.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and ran his long fingers through his damp hair. "I'm going to try to be there. I'm sorry, Adam. I shouldn't have left this close to the holidays."

"It's okay, dad. You didn't have a choice."

There it was again. The far too rational response and Sam knew that he had to be there for the holiday this year. He had to be.

A murmur on the other end of the line let Sam know that his child had been busted by his grandfather. "Uh dad, I gotta go. Grandpa says it's too late to be on the phone. Can you call me tomorrow?"

Sam shook his head at his father's strict rules. "Yeah kid. I'll call you. Tell grandpa 'hi' for me and get to bed."

"Love you, dad." Adam said as the line went dead.

Sam felt a distinctive burn behind his eyes as he pulled the phone away from his ear. "Love you too." He whispered as his hand fell into his lap. He hadn't really come to terms with Jessica's death. In fact, he hadn't dated since she'd passed away five years ago. Instead, he had focused on becoming a partner at his firm and raising Adam. Sam tossed the phone further up on the bed and grabbed the bag that Dean had brought up. He pulled out a pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt before wandering back to the bathroom.

It never occurred to him to knock and he pushed the door open and stepped inside before he knew what he was walking into. Dean was standing at the vanity mirror in nothing but a towel of his own after having obviously stepped out of the shower. The steam was still billowing around inside the little room and Sam stumbled to a shocked halt.

His eyes drifted up and down the other man in a way that was wholly unfamiliar to him. Dean's blonde hair was lying loosely against his head and the eyes that lifted to meet Sam's in surprise were the color of a fir tree. Sam was fairly certain it wasn't even humanly possible to have eyes that shade of green. The brown towel that was hugging Dean's hips was hanging dangerously low and Sam felt a lump of _something_ in his throat the sight. The golden skin above the towel was still dripping wet and Sam was finding it hard to pull his eyes away from the sight.

"I'm so sorry." Sam stammered as he shuffled back out of the bathroom and slammed the door shut before sinking against the opposite wall in embarrassment. He heard a sigh from the other side of the door and then a soft knocking.

"Sam? Open the door man." Dean's voice was deep and had a gravelly quality to it that Sam found very hard to ignore. He was pretty sure he couldn't handle seeing the man half-clothed at the moment. So he opted for talking through the door.

"No. That's okay. Just…I'm sorry. I forgot about the bathroom sharing thing." He said quickly. _And I had no idea I was sharing one with you._

"Seriously, dude. It's fine. That type of thing happens all the time." Dean answered easily.

Sam pushed away from the wall and opened the door at that. He was still holding his own clothes and Dean wasn't wearing anymore this time than the last time...just the towel. "Really? You have strange men burst in on you in the shower and that 'happens all the time'?" He only realized what he'd said after it was already out and a rush of red raced up his neck and burned his ears in embarrassment.

"No. Not _that_ exactly. But yeah, when you share a bathroom you're more likely to walk in on something...or someone." Dean just stood there all glowing skin and mostly naked, while Sam squirmed inside his own skin. There wasn't a hint of embarrassment in him and Sam was distinctly jealous of that fact. _The man must spend a lot of time naked to be that comfortable with it._ He thought in irrational irritation.

"Well next time try locking the door." He shot back as he stepped away and walked around the corner of his room, leaving Dean standing in the open doorway.

"Okay…would you like me to start that right now? Or should I wait for an itinerary?" Dean snarked. He didn't like the tone in the other man's voice and it brought out his sarcastic side.

Sam's head popped back around the corner. "Now would be good." He said quickly.

Dean frowned and then he did something that Sam would never forget. He bowed. The guy actually freaking _bowed_ to him and pulled the door shut with a resounding 'click' of the lock. "As you wish."

Sam had no idea how to respond to that and he found that the more he thought about it the angrier he was getting. _Where the hell does this guy get off being a jackass like that?_ He ground his teeth together and took a deep breath before grabbing a pair of jeans instead of his sleep pants and pulled them over his long legs. He wasn't going to get any sleep at the moment anyway. Might as well head down to the hotel's bar and see if he could get a stiff drink. Maybe he could drown the uncomfortable reaction his body had had to the perfectly perfect half-naked man on the other side of his thin wall…and locked bathroom door.

TBC…

 **Author's Note:** _I wanted to do a holiday romance and what better way to play with than with these two awesome characters. Please leave me a review if you want to see this continued. I am not abandoning any of the other stories, but I really wanted to do something different for the holidays. This isn't going to be heavy SLASH, but the elements will be there. Don't like it, don't read it. And don't flame it if it isn't your thing, the warning is at the beginning of the story and chapter in between._

 **Please Review: So I know if there's any interest.**


	2. Three Drinks, Two Men, and One Fireplace

_Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure. No copyright infringement intended._

 _ **Synopsis:**_ _Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home to his not so perfect life for the holidays, but when a freak snowstorm stands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming he may find a new reason to celebrate the season. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson during the most festive time of the year, he might just have found something worth believing in._

 **NOTE:** This story focuses on un-related Sam and Dean as they find one another on a blustery Christmas night. It is a romantic Christmas story. Very light on the SLASH action, but it is there.

Rated T.

Don't like? Don't read it. SLASH M/M relationship!

 _Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, all grammatical errors are my own._

 _ **Please Review: So I know there's interest**_

 **Chapter Two**

 _Three Drinks, Two Men, and One Fireplace_

Dean finished tightening the valve under the sink. There was a silence that he found blissful considering that when he'd walked into the room there was a plop, plop, plop of the leaking pipes that had him internally cringing. Jack had chosen to play simple Christmas music from the radio and it gave Dean a sense of peace that he hadn't felt in a long time. His own childhood holidays had never consisted of jolly music and festive lights. Hell, he'd never even had a tree growing up. Sure, he'd had friends whose parents would go out of their way to try and include the neighborhood stray.

That's what they'd considered Dean Winchester, the neighborhood stray. His father was never home, his mother had died when he'd been four years old, and he didn't have any siblings. He supposed that the Christmas season should be a reminder of all the things he hadn't had growing up, but instead it was a glimpse into a future that he desperately wanted. Family's that sang together at an old piano and then decorated sugar cookies together at a big rustic table. Snowball fights in the front yard and sledding at the local park. There were so many things that he wanted that he didn't even know where to start when considering them, but one thing he knew…he didn't want to be alone this Christmas season.

He debated staying on the floor and simply enjoying the music. Contrary to popular belief he quite liked Christmas music, even the old stuffy melodies. Particularly Bing Crosby…something about the old crooners style really brought out Dean's music appreciation. He supposed that not having access to it when one was young had made it important when he'd gotten older. He coughed as a small lump formed in his throat and finally shoved out from under the bar's sink. Intent on the music, he sat up too quickly and bashed his head into the bottom of the counter.

"Son of a bitch…" He groused as he rubbed at the sore spot. He hoped that it didn't leave a mark, that'd be fun to explain to the rest of the staff. Dean looked around for the man that ran the place, but he didn't immediately see anyone.

"Jack, I fixed it for now. But you're going to have to spring for a new seal as soon as the hardware store opens. It might not hold out with the upcoming holiday business." Dean moved to his knees and peeked over the top of the counter, looking around for the bartender. "Jack?"

A familiar voice that did _not_ belong to _Jack_ answered. "He stepped out for a few minutes." The low voice sent a tingle of a thrill racing through him as he recognized who it belonged to.

Dean scrambled to his feet and swallowed his reflexive reaction when he saw Sam sitting comfortably at the bar, a glass of scotch sitting in front of him and smile on his face. "So you repair sinks and deliver baggage?"

It only took a moment for Dean to recover before his usual confidence took over. "What can I say, I'm a man of many talents. I do anything and everything, Sam."

The taller man nodded with a snort of amusement and his dimples made an unscheduled appearance. "So you _do_ remember my name." It wasn't a question…it sounded more like an accusation to Dean. He lifted an eyebrow and half-smiled at the handsome stuffy individual in front of him.

"Yes. But Sammy is so much more fun to say." At Sam's surprised cough, Dean wriggled his eyebrows and grabbed himself a glass and a bottle of top shelf scotch. "So where're you from?" He poured the amber colored liquid into the expensive Waterford crystal and downed it in one gulp before quickly pouring himself another drink and settling in to talk to the other man.

Sam narrowed his eyes suspiciously, took a deep breath as he stared at the man behind the counter, and then drained his glass. He was finding it increasingly difficult to look away from the mischievous look in Dean's incredibly green eyes. "Chicago."

Dean smiled easily. "I like Chicago. It's a very interesting city."

"So you've been there?" Sam tilted his glass back and forth until Dean got the hint and filled it again.

"A long time ago…but yeah, I've been there." There was something about the way he said it that made Sam wonder what he wasn't being told. What was even stranger was the strong desire to know what that was. He wanted to know anything about Dean beyond what he'd gleaned from their initial meeting at his door.

Dean didn't want to talk about himself, so he purposefully changed the subject. "What do you do in the windy city?"

Sam shrugged matter of factly. "I'm a lawyer."

"Are you any good?" Dean asked quickly.

Sam raised an eyebrow of his own and leaned against the bar in a conspiratorial manner. "I must be. They made me a partner in the firm." He watched carefully to see how that landed on the other man. Sometimes being a lawyer wasn't a good thing.

A shadow of _something_ drifted across Dean's handsome face before he looked away from Sam. He stared at the fire as it burned merrily in the large stone fireplace. Of course he'd pick a guy that had his shit together…like _really_ together. When the silence went on too long the other man pulled Dean back into conversation.

"And what do you do?" Sam questioned as he again drained the glass. He was starting to the feel the warmth of the alcohol as it flower through his system and loosened his tired achy muscles…and his inhibitions were dropping quickly. "I mean besides the obvious?" He waived his hand around the empty bar area.

Dean didn't smile this time. He turned away from Sam and moved toward the roaring fire with the bottle of whiskey. "I'm just a handyman, Sam. Nothing special." He settled into one of the red velvet chairs and poured another glass before quickly emptying it. There was an uncomfortable silence before a loud screech echoed through the room. Dean felt more than heard the other man approach and sink into the chair next to him.

"Did I say something to offend you?" Sam asked softly. He hadn't meant to and for the life of him he couldn't figure out what would have caused Dean to shut down.

The fire crackled merrily and Dean found that he didn't want to lie to Sam. Not this time. "Spent my whole life trying to live up to people like you. But I dropped out of school at sixteen and I've…" He realized that he'd been about to tell this complete stranger more than he meant to. Dean looked over at Sam's concerned almond shaped eyes and found that that was worse than staring directly at the sun. "Just forget it. Hey, you're glass is empty again." He didn't ask for permission before he was pouring Sam more to drink.

Sam's forehead crinkled in consideration. "I didn't mean anything by my question, Dean. I'm a lawyer. I tend to probe where people don't appreciate it. I apologize if I offended you. We can talk about something else."

Dean sighed and settled back into the chair. His hand was hanging over the edge near Sam's in a lazy boneless way that had everything to do with the expensive scotch. "It's fine. Don't worry about it. I just don't…I'm not usually much of a talker. I don't talk about my feelings…or any feelings if I'm being perfectly honest. Just wasn't the way I was raised."

The log in the fire popped as the sap melted and dripped onto the red-hot coals. There was a brief increase in the amount of light and it brought Sam's gaze over to meet Dean's. He found that he was drawn into the pools of green and the veiled promise of something more hiding behind Dean's guarded gaze. The soft golden light of the cozy fire was intoxicating. And when combined with the alcohol, they were both a little stunned by what they saw. Dean's fingers brushed past Sam's as he pushed forward and pulled himself to unsteady feet. The lights in the room blinked twice and Dean glanced around. " They're gonna kick us out soon…you like movies?"

There was a snort from the other chair. "Do I like movies?" Sam repeated slowly.

Dean shrugged. "Yeah. Do you like movies?"

"Sure, doesn't everyone." Sam answered with a laugh. His eyes twinkled in a way that made Dean's heart stutter inside his chest. There was a little mole just to the left side of the taller man's nose and it was far more interesting than it had any right to be. Dean wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or his own lack of inhibitions that had his fingers twitching in a desire to touch the beauty mark. To run his fingers over the softness of Sam's lips and slip his fingers through the silky softness of his sable colored hair.

Dean pulled himself back just before he reached out and cleared his throat. "You'd be surprised." He shot back with a chuckle.

Jack called from the back room, surprising Dean. "Hey, I'm gonna close this place down. So you're gonna need to find another place to chat."

Dean shifted with irritation. He wanted to know more about this lanky lawyer from Chicago. Besides it was just one night and he figured that he'd earned one night with no strings attached. His gaze slid over to Sam and he was pleased to see the other man's eyes were wide open. It didn't look as though he was tired either. Maybe this night wasn't over…

Sam's eyes drifted toward Dean and he couldn't help but notice that his blonde hair was being highlighted by the ever-changing colors of the large fire. Sam's gaze kept finding its way back to the shorter man. Dean was tall, by anyone's standards but Sam's, he had an athletic build that spoke of time in the gym or an active lifestyle. Whatever it was, Sam whole-heartedly approved. The tanned skin and the slight scruff that gave the man a 'rugged' look kept pulling the lawyer's attention in directions that he hadn't gone in years. It was wholly disconcerting how much he wanted to simply _look_ at Dean. "Uh, why do you ask?" He stammered with a confused smile. The dimples dug deeply into his cheeks and he looked ten years younger.

"There's a marathon of the Die Hard movies on tonight. You interested in watching?" Dean tilted the bottle back and forth in what he hoped was an inviting manner. "I've got a small flat screen in my room?"

The lawyer eyed him for a moment and then finally shrugged. "I've a got a _large_ flat screen in mine. Besides I used to watch those with my dad when I was a kid."

Dean forced a slight smile, but it didn't reach his eyes at the mention of _family_. He quickly wiped the sentiment from his expression and started toward the stairs. Jack walked in from the back, a box of various bottles in his hands. He glared at the expensive bottle in Dean's hands.

"That's coming outta your paycheck, Winchester." He said seriously. The man's dark eyebrows cut down in disapproval when he spied exactly _which_ bottle of scotch Dean had helped himself to.

"Seriously? Come on, Jack. I just fixed your sink man. Help a guy out?" He did his best to put on a winning smile, but the bartender wasn't having any of it.

Jack shook his head 'no' and set down the box of alcohol. He leaned against the bar and then finally held his hand out for Dean's bottle.

Sam watched for a few moments before stepping in. "Tell you what. Put it on my bill. Room 23."

Jack nodded and Dean gaped at him as Sam started up the stairs. The woodsy scent of the fireplace permeated the area and made Dean wish he were back in South Dakota this year. He looked back at the bartender and winked.

"I think he's straight, Dean." Jack said with a deliberate shake of his head and a small smile.

"So am I." Dean retorted with a grin. He started to walk away and then threw a comment over his shoulder before disappearing around the corner. "Most of the time."

Dean pulled in a breath when he got to the bottom of the stairs and then got lost watching Sam disappear onto the second level. The impossibly long legs were hugged in all the right places by a pair of 'just-tight-enough' jeans and a blue cashmere V-neck sweater that draped his back beautifully. The broad shoulders of the other man were rounded perfectly into a well-defined back that tapered into slim hips. Dean took a moment to appreciate the sight, then took the steps two at a time before catching Sam just as the taller man slid his key into the old door.

XXXX

Sam leaned against the inside of the door and waited for the world to stop spinning. He probably should've stopped drinking two glasses ago. But the conversation was pleasant and he found that the more he learned about the handyman, the more he wanted to know. There was a _quality_ that surrounded Dean that implied danger. Not since college had Sam considered throwing the ball with someone from his own team. He'd married Jessica and that had been it. He'd been head over heels in love with the spunky blonde nursing student and then they'd had Adam.

But there had been a time when Sam hadn't really cared all the much about the sex of his partners, so much as how they made him feel. And there was something that was making him 'feel wanted' when he was around Dean. Besides, he'd be flying out tomorrow, so what did it matter what he did tonight?

"Uh, Sammy? Kinda hard to watch the movie through the closed door."

Dean's deep voice sent little shivers racing up and down Sam's spine and he couldn't help the goofy smile as he opened the door. If anyone asked him later? He would be blaming the scotch for his ridiculous behavior.

"Wow. You definitely got the better end of the deal as far as the rooms go." Dean's eyes were wide as he looked around the spacious room with an enormous king sized bed and 55 inch flat screen mounted to the wall. He whistled and immediately flopped down on the bed, kicking his boots off onto the floor. "My room is half this size and the bed is a twin." He said as he grabbed the remote and started looking for the marathon of Die Hard films.

Sam smiled and shook his head, which created a slightly blurry effect to his vision. He closed the door and moved to the other side of the bed. "Guess that's the difference between paying for the room and having it provided." He hasn't meant to come off stuck up and Sam immediately recognized that he'd hit a nerve when Dean's million-watt smile faded slightly and he simply nodded without commenting.

"Dean, I'm sorry. That came out all wrong." He said as he brushed his hand through his hair. It fell back into his eyes in long strands of silky sable locks.

There was a barely perceptive shrug from the smaller man. "Don't worry about it, man. I'm used to it." But it was apparent from his silence that he was more bothered by the comment than he'd admit. Sam pulled his lower lip between his teeth in contemplation. Before he could say anything else, the movie blared to life on screen and Dean settled into the multitude of pillows to watch.

TBC…

 **Author's Note:** _Finished this and thought I'd get the next chapter up. Thank you for the reviews. I hope that you are able to continue letting me know what thing of the Christmas story. It's a first for me._

 **Please Review: I would greatly appreciate it.**


	3. First Kiss

_Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure. No copyright infringement intended._

 _ **Synopsis:**_ _Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home to his not so perfect life for the holidays, but when a freak snowstorm stands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming he may find a new reason to celebrate the season. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson during the most festive time of the year, he might just have found something worth believing in._

 **NOTE:** This story focuses on un-related Sam and Dean as they find one another on a blustery Christmas night. It is a romantic Christmas story. Very light on the SLASH action, but it is there.

Rated T.

Don't like? Don't read it. SLASH M/M relationship!

 _Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, all grammatical errors are my own._

 _ **Please Review: So I know there's interest**_

 **Chapter Three**

 _First Kiss_

Dean lifted the bottle of beer to his lips as he watched John McClane throw Hans off Nacatomi tower. He leaned against the fluffy pillows and his elbow was brushing against Sam's as he stared intently at the television. A soft snore next to him pulled his eyes over and he couldn't help the smile that pulled at his lips when he saw Sam totally asleep.

He took a moment and simply looked at the other man. Dean was forced to admit that he'd never seen a man as beautiful as Sam Wesson. There was something both rugged and yet incredibly soft that surrounded him and Dean found he couldn't pull his gaze away. A strand of Sam's hair fell forward and the handyman couldn't stop himself from reaching over and carefully moving the silky strands, tucking them behind Sam's ear.

The other man shifted, more strands of his longer than necessary hair slipped forward again, this time over his eyes as he curled in toward Dean. A slight smile pulled at the corners of Dean's lips. He hadn't felt someone use him for comfort in a very long time and it felt…nice. Sam's head was now resting quietly on Dean's broad chest, his hand splayed across his stomach and his leg positioned Dean's in an almost possessive way. A tingle of a thrill raced through Dean at the proximity of the other man. He couldn't put his finger on what exactly was drawing him to Sam. But it was a very strong _something_.

He took a chance and dropped his fingers, running them lightly over Sam's arm. The man was well muscled and Dean could tell that he took care of himself. There was a nice transition from his bicep to his shoulders it was hard to keep his fingers from trailing lower.

This entire evening was soothing and Dean shook his head with a smile when Sam moaned pleasantly at the gentle caress. It had been a long time since he'd spent any portion of the holiday with someone. Not that this really counted. As far as he knew he'd never see Sam after this night. That thought caused Dean to pull his lower lip between his teeth in contemplation. He didn't want to _never_ see this man again. But he had no intention of ever going back to Chicago. He hadn't exactly left town under the best circumstances and he doubted his return would be met with a parade.

In fact, he'd be lucky if it wasn't met with the barrel of a gun. Sometimes life could be such a bitch. Never in his life had Dean felt like he _belonged_ anywhere. But here with Sam…he wondered if he could _belong to_ someone. He shook the sentimental thoughts from his head and shifted his weight. Sam's head slipped lower and he groaned at the proximity of the other man's mouth and Dean's own certain interested anatomy parts. _What are you doing to me, Sammy?_ He wondered silently as he gulped down the response.

He tried not to wake the other man as he carefully extricated himself from the bed and padded into the bathroom, gently closing the door behind him. Dean leaned against the counter, his green eyes lifting to stare into the large mirror. Once again, Sam's bathroom proved the differences between them. It was huge and ornate, with fancy towels and a gift basket from the hotel. Dean picked up one of the fancy little soaps and snorted.

"I can even afford the soap in this place." He grumbled unhappily, setting the small blue soap back in the dish. His gaze again lifted and connected with the reflection in the mirror. He looked at himself for the first time in years and he didn't really like what he saw there.

He looked tired. His eyes had a weary look to their green depths and there were worry line near the corners of his mouth. He frowned. _Okay, well that isn't going to help the lines, Dean._ He thought in frustration and wiped his expression clean. He splashed some water on his face and shook his head. _What the hell am I doing?_ He wondered silently. Sam seems like a really nice person and I should know better than to try and get into his pants. Which was what he'd planned when this night had started. He was attracted to the tall lawyer and Dean had never been particularly good at self-restraint. And that was part of his over all problem. He shook his head and was just about to exit the bathroom when a knock on the door surprised him.

"Dean?" Sam's sleepy voice asked through the closed door.

Dean swallowed the tremors that just Sam's voice caused and turned to open the door. He was woefully unprepared for his body's immediate reaction to Sam standing there, bare-chested, hair frazzled from sleeping and wiping at his tired eyes.

Sam stared for a moment waiting for Dean to speak, when he didn't, Sam pressed on. "Can I get in there?" He asked softly.

Dean nodded and moved to step out of the way, but Sam brushed up against him as he started to slide into the room. There was a tangible reaction from the accidental brush of Dean's arm across Sam' taut abdomen. A shiver ran through both men and Sam stopped to stare down at where the other man's arm was now resting against his hot skin. It was like a brand and he couldn't stop his lips from descending on Dean's pliant ones.

The kiss was soft at first, pleasant. Like the first awkward kiss of a teenager. Dean's hand lifted and caught Sam's head between them, tilting it so that he could get a better angle. His tongue slid over the taller man's lips and they parted in a soft 'oh'. He was quick to take advantage and the kiss shifted from innocent to something more interesting. Sam tasted like whiskey and something that Dean couldn't even define. He pressed the lawyer against the door and then let his hands roam freely over the exposed flesh of Sam's chest.

A shiver ran through the muscles he was currently caressing as he continued to kiss Sam in an almost desperate manner. It felt good to have someone respond to him. Someone _he_ actually wanted and not someone that just wanted sex. He groaned when Sam's hands slid beneath his own t-shirt and searched for a tender spot to rest. It was Sam's turn to moan when Dean shifted the kiss yet again and pressed the length of his body against the sagging strength of the lawyer. Dean knew that he should control himself. That he shouldn't be doing any of this, but he couldn't help it. He wanted Sam and he wanted him in a way that he'd never wanted anyone else.

His fingers dropped to the leather belt that was securing Sam's expensive dress pants around his slim hips. The feeling of fingers that close to his cock, pulled the other man from the spell Dean had been weaving with his tongue. "Wait…Dean wait." He gasped out as he pulled his reluctant lips away and looked down at the disappointment and… _was that hurt_? On the shorter man's face.

Dean took a shuddering breath and nodded as he pulled back from Sam and then something happened that Sam had only ever seen in the movies. A _mask_ slammed into place and Dean was no longer readable. His face just went blank and he then plastered some phony smile on his slightly kiss-swollen lips. "Okay, sorry…just got carried away."

Dean swallowed his reaction and slid past Sam into the main room. He didn't look to see if the other man had followed him, but when he heard the door on the bathroom slip shut he let the mask fall for a moment. How could he have been so stupid? Letting his feelings and his attraction for this man obliterate all self-control. He'd literally _attacked_ Sam in the doorway of the bathroom. He shook his head and scrubbed his hand down his face, making an instant decision.

The water was on in the bathroom. So he made sure to raise his voice enough to be heard. "I'm going to hit the sack, Sam. Maybe I'll see you at breakfast." And with that Dean passed from the warmth and holiday décor of Sam's room to his own plain and uninviting one. He made sure to latch the door from his side, so that Sam couldn't open it…not he was likely to.

XXXX

Sam leaned against the closed door of the bathroom. His body still tingling where Dean's hands had caressed him. His lips were swollen and he wanted to go back and finish what they'd started so badly it was painful. But he had a son to think of. A life that didn't involve being in a relationship with anyone…let alone a man. His partners would kick his ass out of the firm for that one. He'd known that he was attracted to Dean, but he hadn't realized the extent of that attraction until just now. He would have finished what they'd started. He would have made love with Dean right here in the bathroom of the most festive hotel in the world. But he couldn't do that. Sam had responsibilities and allowing his heart and…well, other parts, to lead him around wasn't an option for someone like him.

But holy crap could that man kiss. His lips were still pulsing from the thorough _kissing_ that Dean had given him. There was a warm ball of emotion in his belly that he would recognize anywhere. He could actually fall in love with this man. He wasn't exactly a priest, but he hadn't felt anything this strong since Jess. And he hadn't been expecting it, let alone that it might come in the form of a man. A gorgeous man with eyes the color of a Christmas tree and a voice that made his heart race.

He ran his fingers through his hair and immediately turned on the water. He needed to cool off. Before he set foot outside this room and tried to explain to Dean what was happening and why he had to be very careful about proceeding. They could have this one night, but that was it. He couldn't offer the other man anything after this. He wanted to…oh god, did he want to. But he couldn't.

Sam swallowed and turned toward the door. Dean's voice stopped him. "I'm going to hit the sack, Sam. Maybe I'll see you at breakfast." And then there was unmistakable sound of a door being closed. He turned the water off and heard the bolt slide home on Dean's side of the shared door.

"Dammit." Sam swore as he exited the bathroom and stared at the barrier between him and Dean. If that wasn't an answer to the 'one night stand' thing, then he didn't know what was. He was not prepared for the disappointment that flowed through him in the next moment and he found himself sinking bonelessly onto the bed. He could still smell Dean's cologne and it made his heart ache in a way that both familiar and unwelcome. Maybe it was best that Dean had called this one and gone back to his room.

Because the only thing at the end of this road was heartbreak…and Sam wasn't going to get his heart broken...not again.

TBC…

 **Author's Note** _ **:**_ _Short chapter, I know. I will be posting daily for the next few days as I am stuck in a cabin for the Christmas holiday and beyond the normal festivities…I have the time to write._

 **Please Review: Just let me know what you thought of the chapter.**


	4. Dazed and Confused

_Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure. No copyright infringement intended._

 _ **Synopsis:**_ _Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home to his not so perfect life for the holidays, but when a freak snowstorm stands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming he may find a new reason to celebrate the season. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson during the most festive time of the year, he might just have found something worth believing in._

 **NOTE:** This story focuses on un-related Sam and Dean as they find one another on a blustery Christmas night. It is a romantic Christmas story. Very light on the SLASH action, but it is there.

Rated T.

Don't like? Don't read it. SLASH M/M relationship!

 _Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, all grammatical errors are my own._

 _ **Please Review: So I know there's interest**_

 **Chapter Three**

 **Chapter Four**

 _Dazed and Confused_

Morning came earlier than he'd expected and Sam groaned as he rolled over and turned off the alarm on his phone. He swallowed his exhaustion and forced himself to sit up. The room was relatively warm and the fireplace in the corner was throwing out diminishing heat as the coals burned down. There was a pleasant light reflecting into the still dark room and Sam forced himself to slide out from beneath the warm blankets. He stretched and felt his back crack as he reached toward the ceiling. He'd always like the way it felt to stretch in the morning. When all of his muscles were relaxed from sleeping away the stresses of the previous day, but this morning felt different. Not as peaceful.

His eyes drifted toward the closed door that separated his room from Dean's and he gulped his disappointment that the night hadn't ended better. He found that he'd actually quite enjoyed Dean's company and having the other man leave, possibly angry, the previous evening hadn't been at all what _he_ wanted. He shook the feelings out his head and carded his fingers through his dark hair. It was usually a little wild when he woke up in the mornings and as he glanced in the large mirror next to the desk, he saw that this morning wasn't any different. _Awesome._

Sam moved toward the large window and pulled the ornate red curtains to the side. His mouth dropped open in more than just shock at what he saw. The wind was whistling past his window, snow was nearly obscuring any view of the parking area that he knew was below it. "Son of a bitch!" He said in frustration. It was a full out _blizzard_ outside this picturesque little hotel. Which did bode well for his expected travels home.

He grabbed his phone and immediately pulled up his flight. _Cancelled, until weather conditions improve._ A crippling fear tripped through his system at the thought of missing Adam's Christmas morning. He'd promised his son that he wouldn't do that. The death of the boy's mother had affected him deeply and the kid had into a comatose type state for months afterwards. Adam hadn't spoken to anyone, not even Sam, for almost two years. Even as it stood now, he only spoke to his father. Ellen, the nice lady that was watching him while Sam was out of town, had learned to deal with Adam's forced silence. But Sam had promised…that he would never leave the boy alone on the holidays and he was about to break that promise. And it was eating a hole through his stomach as the guilt and disappointment settled in to grow into full-blown remorse at a later date.

Unless the flights were up and moving in the next forty-eight hours…he wasn't going to make it home for Christmas.

The velvety curtain fluttered back into place as he released it without thinking. The only thing on Sam's mind was his son. He almost missed the soft knock on his door. His gaze flashed up and he realized that it wasn't his official door that was being knocked on. But the one he shared with Dean's room. Sam took a moment and gathered his thoughts, trying his best to clear his breaking heart from his face. He took a deep breath and unlocked his side of their shared door.

Dean was still as heart stopping and beautiful as he'd been the day before. The dark blonde hair was spiked and fixed to perfection. The straight aquiline nose was still set perfectly between two eyes the color of forest moss and he was smiling. Which Sam had not expected.

The shorter man immediately stepped into the room with a tray of food. The smell that followed Dean made Sam's heart flip-flop inside his chest. He almost missed Dean's comment.

"Thought you might be hungry." He said easily, setting the tray down on the desk near the mirror. Dean was wearing a button up black shirt and a pair of dark wash Levis that hugged his long legs in all the right places as he leaned over to stoke the dying fire. "Need anymore wood?" He finally looked up long enough to read the lost and broken look in Sam's eyes as he stared quietly at the food. "Sammy? What's wrong?"

Sam let his gaze drop to the plush carpet and sighed before sinking down onto the mussed bedding. "My flight's been cancelled. I don't think I'm going to make it home for Christmas." He could hear the resignation in his own voice and that just made him want to crawl under the covers and stay there.

Dean pulled his plump lower lip between his teeth and debated how to handle this version of Sam. He wanted to go over and pull the taller puppy-dog like man into his arms and make him forget about the cancelled flights. But somehow he thought that maybe the forlorn traveller might not appreciate that at this particular moment. He swallowed and tossed another log on the fire. Dean stayed still and silent as he waited for Sam to say whatever it was he was so obviously itching to say.

"Did I tell you I have a son?" Sam asked softly. He didn't generally bring Adam up in conversation. But he really wanted this man to understand his reservations. He lifted his guarded ocean colored gaze and looked over at Dean through the fringe of his bangs, the hair obscuring his emotional almond shaped eyes.

There was slight stiffening to the other man's back, but he didn't move from where he was stoking the fire. "Not specifically, no." _Sam has a kid?_ Dean actually really liked children. He'd just never been around them all that much and he wasn't all that sure they would even like him.

There was a slow inhalation of air and Sam moved toward Dean without thinking. He squatted down next to the silent man and quickly settled into a seated position on the carpet, staring at the fire as it started licking at the newest log in a frenzied manner that Sam understood all too well. His gaze flickered over to Dean. The light was playing off his tanned face and Sam was surprised to find freckles sprinkled across the bridge of Dean's nose.

"Yeah, I have an eight year old boy. His name is Adam. I promised him that he would never spend Christmas alone. Not after…" Sam's voice caught and he swallowed the lump of emotion building in his throat. Even after all these years he still got choked up when he mentioned Jessica.

Dean sank down, sitting cross-legged on the floor with his knee barely touching Sam's and finally looked over at Sam. "After what?" He probed quietly. He knew that he should just gather his things and get the hell out of this hotel…if not the entire state. He was already too interested in Sam. And seeing that _look_ on the man's perfect face, just made Dean want to wipe it away and replace it with a more sensual expression. His fingers were nearly aching with a need to caress Sam's perfectly sculpted chest. Dean's picture perfect memory was throwing images at him faster than he could diffuse them.

Sam shrugged. "After Jess died." He answered flatly.

There was a moment of silence before Dean questioned further. "Your wife?" A part of him had a hard time asking that question. If Sam had had a wife, then what the hell had he been doing kissing Dean like that last night?

Sam knew what Dean must have been thinking. He glanced over at the other man and was disconcerted by the complete lack of emotions on his handsome face. _No one should have that kind of control over his or her expressions._ Sam thought with awe. He sighed and shook his head. "Yes, Jessica was my wife. And no, I don't regret kissing you and no it wasn't just the alcohol that made me do it." He turned so he could look Dean full in the face. "I _wanted_ to kiss you, Dean." He gulped. "I wanted to do a lot more, but I didn't think I could stop with one night and I can't have a relationship. Not right now…and certainly not with—"

It took all of two seconds for Dean to grasp where this was headed and he felt his heart clench in disappointment. He kept his face schooled in a neutral position and simply shrugged as he interrupted Sam's confession. "A man?" He asked blatantly.

"It's not what you think, Dean." Sam quickly defended.

"And what do I think?" The blonde asked resolutely as he raised an elegant eyebrow in curiosity.

Sam groaned. "That I'm hiding in the closet or something."

Dean snorted and shook his head, shooting back a flippant comment. "I'm not thinking anything, Sammy." But there was a hint of something playing behind his flashing green eyes that told Sam he was being fed a line of crap.

"Well then you're thinking _nothing_ so loudly I couldn't miss it if I was deaf." Sam shot back immediately. He'd never been around someone that could raise his temper, in more ways than one, as quickly as Dean could.

Dean felt himself start to respond, shook his head and shoved himself to his feet before starting toward the door. "I've got other fires to see to." He gestured toward the breakfast he'd brought in. "Enjoy the food. Cook said it's a veritable feast." His long fingers wrapped themselves around the handle to open the door and Sam nearly screamed his frustration. He didn't want Dean leaving thinking that their kiss had been a mistake. It hadn't. Well, it had, but not in the way Dean was thinking.

"That's it?! You're just gonna run away from this?" Sam didn't why he was being so bold. Or why watching Dean leave his room in anger felt like a failure on par with missing Christmas. His heart was now racing as he sprang to his feet and charged toward the surprised man now staring at him in confusion.

Dean's green eyes narrowed and darkened as he turned to look Sam straight in the face. "Run away? From what, Sammy? A kiss?"

"Yes! Run away. What the hell happened to damage you like this? I like you. I liked kissing you. I just can't get involved." Sam continued as he tried desperately to explain the turbulent emotions ruining his Ivy League education's conversational skills.

Dean's eyebrows cut down and he thinned his lips in response. "I've got news for you, Sam…not my first kiss." He smiled and directed the next comment with the intention of hurting Sam. "Not even my first kiss yesterday." It wasn't true. Dean hadn't felt the need to kiss anyone in a very long time and he couldn't have stopped himself from touching Sam yesterday even if he'd wanted to…which he didn't.

That stopped Sam and he stared at Dean's smug expression, incredulous. "Excuse me?" He ground past clenched teeth.

Dean shrugged dismissively and felt his heart break a little bit more as he threw napalm on his _burning bridge_. He was definitely feeling whatever _this_ was between them. But he didn't want to be caught with his feelings out in the open, so he did was he always did…he deflected. "I was bored Sam. I wanted some entertainment for the night and you seemed willing. So…that's all it was. You don't need to get all twisted up about it. It was just a kiss." Dean finished as he pulled the door open and left Sam staring after him in dumbfounded silence.

 _Just a kiss? Entertainment? You were bored?!_ Sam's mind repeated the painful words in dolby digital sound inside his skull as he stared at the closed door. He swallowed his anger and his hurt and turned toward his suitcase. It was still mostly packed and he made a decision right then and there he was getting the hell outta Jackson Hole. There was no way that he was spending another night under the same roof as Dean… _what the hell is that guy's last name?_ He thought angrily as he folded up his things and carefully stuffed them back into the designer bag.

XXXX

Dean leaned against the wall outside Sam's door. He was hoping that Sam would see through his bullshit and haul him back inside the room to discuss what was happening between them. But as the seconds turned into minutes, he knew that that wasn't likely to happen. He'd offended Sam and he'd done it on purpose. And that knowledge hurt in ways that he knew he'd pay for later…or his liver would.

He swallowed the lump of emotions and moved to his own room. He'd already told Jack that he'd be leaving soon and gotten his pay for the work he'd done, less the cost of the room and food. But it was enough to get him out of Wyoming and away from Sam. He'd looked at the news and while the planes were grounded, he was pretty sure with the chains in his trunk, his Impala could plow through whatever snow the huge machines had missed. Dean took a deep breath and grabbed his green duffle bag and threw his meager belongings inside. He didn't bother to fold them or place them in any semblance of order. What was the point? He'd be pulling them out in a few days anyways and probably while sleeping in the backseat of the Impala.

He just about to grab his keys when there was a rapid knock on his door. "Dean, I know you're in there and we need to talk." Sam's voice broke the silence and Dean sighed as he shook his head and moved to open the door.

"Sam." He said as he opened it and leaned against the doorframe with his arms folded. Sam was standing there in an expensive dress shirt and dark wash jeans. He looked extremely irritated. The other man ignored him and walked right into his room without waiting to be invited. Dean rolled his eyes. "Come right in."

He moved and shut the door. Before he could even turn around Sam's hands had spun him toward the room and he was shoving Dean against the wall. His lips were everywhere in the space of a moment. Sam's hands wrapped around Dean's face and he tilted it up, attacking the luscious lips he hadn't been able to stop thinking about since last night. He gained the upper hand and thrust his tongue inside Sam's mouth in a kiss that left the other man feeling senseless. A moan worked its way out of Dean's chest and he couldn't stop his hands from wrapping around Sam's waist and pulling him closer.

Their bodies were pressed against one another in a heated exchange that they both had no intention of denying. The blood was racing through Dean and he was having a difficult time keeping his weakening knees beneath him. Sam turned him and started walking them backward, his lips never Dean's. The edge of the bed hit just the right spot for Dean's legs to collapse onto the bed and he found his lips ripped from Sam's as he sank to his butt on the low bed.

There was a brief moment where he looked up at Sam and saw the raw _need_ plastered on the tall man's face. He sank down to his knees and pushed forward between Dean's legs to reclaim his mouth. The tingle of pulse-pounding thrills that were racing through his body was completely new Dean. He'd had sex. Actually, he'd had a lot of sex, but he'd never felt vulnerable before. Like he was being worshiped and was something special to be savored and enjoyed. Not used and then thrown away when the act was finished. It was undoing all his defenses…one by one.

He let his hands drift and they swept down along Sam's strong shoulders and around across his powerful back and finally landed in the other man's silky soft hair. Another groan, this time from Sam, broke the silence. "Oh god…"

Dean finally managed to gain enough semblance of control to lean back enough to see Sam's face. The blue-green irises were blown wide with need and his face was lax and boyish in the early morning light. "Are you sure, Sammy?" He asked huskily. _Please say yes…oh my god Sam…please whatever you do…say yes._

A small smile appeared and the deep dimples that popped out took Dean back and simply stared. Sam might be the most beautiful thing that Dean had ever seen. Not just men…but women too. He was breathtaking,

"You're going to make me self-conscious if you keep staring at me like that." Sam finally managed. His own voice was just as husky as Dean's. "And yes, I'm sure."

Dean shook his head. "But I was an asshat in there." He argued.

Sam nodded. "You were definitely an _asshat_." He leaned in and whispered in Dean's ear. "But it's a good thing I don't care at the moment." The soft warm air that drifted past his ear and brushed across the nape of his neck sent a shiver through Dean.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." He said softly. His green eyes searching for Sam's and praying that he believed what Dean was saying.

Sam didn't answer him; he simply leaned in and placed a kiss on Dean's lips. And then he did something that Dean had not expected. He stood up and walked out of the room, leaving the other man sitting on the bed in utter confusion.

TBC…

 **Author's Note:** _Thank you for the reviews. So glad that you guys were looking for a holiday story._

 **Please Review: It just takes a moment and is so appreciated.**


	5. Twist of Fate

_Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure. No copyright infringement intended._

 _ **Synopsis:**_ _Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home to his not so perfect life for the holidays, but when a freak snowstorm stands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming he may find a new reason to celebrate the season. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson during the most festive time of the year, he might just have found something worth believing in._

 **NOTE:** This story focuses on un-related Sam and Dean as they find one another on a blustery Christmas night. It is a romantic Christmas story. Very light on the SLASH action, but it is there.

Rated T.

Don't like? Don't read it. SLASH M/M relationship!

 _Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, all grammatical errors are my own._

 _ **Please Review: So I know there's interest**_

 **Chapter Five**

 _Twist of Fate_

It took a few moments for Dean's brain to kick in and he scrambled to his feet and followed Sam. The man was putting his coat on and placing the room key on the dresser near the window. Dean's brain spasmed into panic mode. _Sam is leaving? But the I thought the planes were all grounded._

"You get a flight?" He asked as casually as he could muster despite his racing heart. He couldn't imagine watching Sam walk out of his life forever. And that's what it would be if the man was leaving at this very moment.

Sam turned and smiled. "I'm going to rent a car and drive."

Dean's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't considered that Sam would simply rent a care and _drive_ out of his life. _Son of a bitch..._ "But it's like two thousand miles." He said with a hint of the shock he couldn't hide at the moment.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "And?" He was staring directly at Dean and he could feel the little butterflies in his stomach fluttering around in chaos.

"And that's a hell of a drive." Dean shot back with a gesture of his hands that had Sam smiling despite his current feelings.

Sam looked at the floor and finally sighed. He knew that it was a long drive, but it had become his only option if he wanted to be there Christmas morning. "I know." He answered softly. He needed to do this and it sucked, he actually hated to drive long distances. Oh, he didn't mind being driven, but to drive the entire time? No, he didn't enjoy that at all.

Dean shook his head and an idea occurred to him that twenty-four hours ago he never would have entertained. If he was in and out, then maybe he could slide in under the radar in Chicago. If no one saw him, then he should be fine, right? Part of him was still shocked that Sam hadn't recognized him…shocked and pleased. "I could take you." Dean offered quietly.

Sam's gaze shot up and met his in a stony silence. He was looking for the reason why Dean was offering this. "You don't need to do that, Dean." Sam said softly. He wanted to make sure that the man knew he had an out. But he really hoped he didn't take it. Because having that much time in car would allow Sam to get to know Dean better and he desperately wanted that...to know Dean.

There was something veiled in those green depths when he stepped forward and pulled Sam's face toward his. "I want to." He answered simply before he was kissing Sam. This kiss wasn't like the others, the _need_ was still there but now it was tempered by longing and a hint of fear.

Dean had closed the door when he'd walked into Sam's room and as he slid his hands up and knocked Sam's coat off his shoulders, he was grateful he'd done that. Because their combined passion was soon overtaking what had started as a sweet kiss. Dean's palms slid over Sam's lower back and he almost groaned when he finally let them drop to the man's pert little ass. He pulled Sam against him and they were both immediately aware of the _want_ that kept popping up.

He almost laughed at the thought of things _popping_ up when they were in the same room, but Sam's hands slipped beneath his shirt and ran along the ridge of his stomach stealing his ability to think. It was Dean's turn to steer them toward the bed this time. He pushed until Sam toppled backwards onto the mattress with a laugh when their lips were ripped apart and there was a low groan from Dean at the loss of contact.

Sam was leaning back on his elbows and watching as Dean struggled out of his leather jacket, throwing it into a heap on the floor. He stepped toward Sam and then just stopped, staring. Sam felt his eyes dart away from the heat smoldering in those green eyes as Dean finally stepped forward and started carefully undoing the buttons on Sam's shirt. His rough palms dragged across the sensitive skin and Sam shuddered in pleasure.

Dean couldn't keep his lips off the pliant man beneath him, but he wanted to get these clothes off before either of them found another reason to walk out of the room. When he was finally able to open the shirt, revealing taunt glistening muscles, his breath caught in his throat. He trailed his fingers over the quivering skin and bit at his lower lip in appreciation.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" Dean asked in a husky lust-drenched voice. His fingers were gently caressing Sam's sides and he missed the shocked expression on Sam's face at the comment. The taller man shifted beneath his ministrations and Dean finally looked up, his eyes landing on the wide eyes of the man he was leaning over. The expression on Sam's face was one that Dean would never forget…blissful.

"The feelings mutual." Sam managed around his waning attention as Dean's fingers slipped beneath his belt and ran along the lower muscles of his abdomen. There was a flutter there that reminded Sam of his evil little butterflies.

Dean was enjoying watching Sam squirm with anticipation beneath him, but he was also feeling a need to see what was beneath these ridiculously expensive pants. He pulled his fingers back to the belt and unbuckled it, making a show of slipping it apart. Sam simply watched him as Dean slowly unbuttoned the pants and then pulled the zipper down. The blue of his boxer-briefs was now the only thing between him and Dean as the other man gently pulled the sides of his pants apart and slipped them down his lean hips.

It hadn't occurred to Dean that he was still completely clothed while Sam was rapidly approaching naked. But the lawyer was certainly aware of their differing states of dress. He reached up and shoved Dean's t-shirt up his chest. There was a moment of appreciation as he stared at the contours of Dean's sculpted chest. He may not spend time in the gym, but that hadn't stopped him from building a body that was a master piece in its own right.

"Off." He commanded simply. Dean raised an eyebrow at that, but then he shrugged and lifted his arms. Sam immediately sat up and pushed the shirt up until it was caught on Dean's nose and then he leaned in and kissed the blinded man.

There was a rush of air as Dean accepted the kiss with a tiny little moan of shock. He felt his bottom lip being pulled gently between Sam's teeth and the scrape of fingernails along the hard plains of his back. And now he was he literally straddling Sam he could feel just how _interested_ Sam was. That caused a shiver if excitement and a new groan of desire to make it's way up from his chest.

Sam laughed against his lips. "I know the feeling." And with that Sam leaned back and allowed Dean to work his shirt over his head and toss it next to his jacket. He quickly worked to slide Sam's pants from his body and hurried to do the same for himself before he again moved back to the bed.

Clad in nothing by their underwear they continued to explore and learn about one another's bodies. It was almost sweet how much time they each took before slipping beneath the elastic of the underwear and gaining a whole new appreciation for the man lying next to them.

XXXX

Sam was staring at the ceiling, his fingers running in lazy lines up and down Dean's back as the other man slept. His thoughts were everywhere and he felt satisfied in ways that he never had…not even with Jessica. Something about Dean seemed to fill that tiny little space in the corner of his heart that had always remained empty. Sam had never believed in love at first sight, but there was something between him and Dean that went well beyond a simple tumble in bed.

And that led to what was keeping him awake. He hadn't been lying when he'd told Dean that he couldn't have a relationship. He was supposed to propose to Meg Masters when he got back. He knew it, she knew it…hell the entire office was expecting him to do it. Their marriage would allow the two largest firms in Chicago to merge and they'd be unstoppable. The future of the company rested on his shoulders and he was feeling the weight.

That was part of the reason he'd left town to close this deal. He needed some time to think. Dating Meg had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now? His gaze drifted down when Dean hummed happily in his sleep and snuggled more deeply into the hollow of Sam's arm. How the hell was he supposed to tell Dean about this?

Ghosts of the feelings and the explosion of pleasure that had culminated their early morning antics were clouding his thoughts. He changed his finger's direction and started to softly trace along the shoulder blades and then he let his hand trail lower still, landing in the small of Dean's perfect back. The slightly rounded mound beneath the blankets was a not so subtle reminder of the man's perfect ass. Sam had found himself as distracted by that ass as he had been by Dean himself. Sam frowned. He was mooning over a man he was still lying in bed with…granted he was supposed to marry someone else as soon as he got back home, but at this moment? All he could think of were Dean's lips and the wet hot heat of his mouth and the way that he knew every _sensitive_ place on Sam's body simply through instinct. Sex with Meg was just that...it was sex. He supposed it had been pleasant enough, but it didn't compare what he'd just shared with Dean and he wanted more of that. Hell, he'd spend the rest of his life having mind blowing sex with this man if he could. But that wasn't going to happen and now he knew what he'd be missing and that...well, it just fucking sucked.

He'd tried to keep this from happening. Sam had known that it wasn't fair to Dean and now he'd gone and slept with the man. Okay, so that wasn't exactly what had happened. Sam hadn't just had sex with Dean…he made love to him and he knew that Dean must be feeling exactly the same way. Normally the first time that you sleep with someone, it's all about instant gratification, it's not about learning the intricate dips and contours of their body. Or the way different spots cause different moans or gasps of pleasure in response.

Sam reached up and pinched at the bridge of his nose in frustration at the situation he now found himself in. He owed Dean an explanation, but he'd already seen what happens when Dean starts making inferences about situations he doesn't fully understand. If Sam told him now? He might understand, or Dean might pull into himself and throw up that strange wall of his. Sam was pretty sure that either way Dean would still take him to Chicago, but one trip would be infinitely more fun…for both of them. _No, I'll wait and tell him when we get closer. He already said he couldn't stay in the area, so it shouldn't really matter by then._

TBC…

 **Author's Note:** _Thanks so much for the reviews, you guys are awesome! I hope you enjoy this little twist of fate_. _I know this is a little on the short side, but there's more story coming._

 **Please Review: Just a word or two is enough…but more is appreciated.**


	6. Cars and Snow Storms

_Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure. No copyright infringement intended._

 _ **Synopsis:**_ _Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home to his not so perfect life for the holidays, but when a freak snowstorm stands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming he may find a new reason to celebrate the season. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson during the most festive time of the year, he might just have found something worth believing in._

 **NOTE:** This story focuses on un-related Sam and Dean as they find one another on a blustery Christmas night. It is a romantic Christmas story. Very light on the SLASH action, but it is there.

Rated T.

Don't like? Don't read it. SLASH M/M relationship!

 _Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, all grammatical errors are my own._

 _ **Please Review: So I know there's interest**_

 **Chapter Six**

 _Cars and Snow Storms_

Dean glanced at the closed door to the bathroom. He'd debated about slipping in there and _helping_ Sam shower, but then he figured he'd better work on getting everything squared away for the upcoming drive. He was already having a hard time focusing his drifting thoughts. All he seemed able to focus on was Sam's amazing body and the tenderness he'd seen reflected in the man's face when he'd ghosted his fingers down Dean's cheek and smiled. There was that crazy little beauty mark to the left of Sam's nose and he couldn't seem to think of anything else.

" _That was…" Sam had glanced up at the ceiling of the room and then down at Dean. "I don't have the words to explain what that was. But thank you." He finally said in a soft satisfied voice that sent shivers racing up and down Dean's spine. He'd smiled simply and then grabbed Sam's hand, kissing the palm._

 _Then he'd nodded and pulled Sam's face down into a languid kiss that had quickly turned into something else. Hence the shower for Sam. He'd fallen asleep after and Dean had gathered his things and cleaned up._

He glanced around the room and couldn't help the evil little smile when his eyes landed on the bed. The covers were everywhere and it was very obvious that no one had been _sleeping_ in that bed. Not that Dean cared what other people thought. That was part of his problem and part of why he should stay the hell away from Chicago.

Sam's cell phone rang on the table, pulling him from his musings, and Dean grabbed it answering in a swift and practiced motion. He didn't even think about it, he just didn't want Sam to miss a call from son. He assumed that that was who was calling. Oh how wrong he was...

"Sam's phone." He said simply.

There was a surprised gasp on the other end of the line and then a curt female reply. "Who is this? Where is Sam Wesson?" Yup, definitely a woman's voice and she sounded royally irritated that she had not gotten Sam on the phone.

Dean raised an eyebrow at the tone. "Doesn't matter and Sam stepped out for a minute. Who shall I tell him called?" He did his best impression of a snotty butler. Her tone was grating enough that he debated on just telling her that Sam was washing off several hours of mind-blowing sex. But he refrained.

"This is Meg Masters. And can you have my _fiancé_ call me when he gets out of the shower?" She hissed out and hung up on him.

It didn't settle in at first. That she'd called herself Sam's _fiancé_. Dean set the phone back exactly where he'd picked it up and let his eyes flicker to the bathroom when the water turned off. _Sam's engaged?_ He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. One that seemed to affirm his initial thoughts...and being that he was a bit cynical, that really wasn't a good thing. Sam hadn't been honest with him and Dean felt used…again. Not that Sam would know any of that, but still.

If Sam was having second thoughts about this chick, then why not just come clean with Dean about it? Dean slumped down onto the bed and shook his head in disappointment. There had been a chance at something real and special with Sam, but he wasn't going to break up the man's previous life to have it. He'd seen what happens when someone was in a marriage, in this case engagement, and another person destroys it with their simple presence. He wouldn't do that to someone else...he just wouldn't.

Plus there was Adam to think about. Dean hadn't met the kid, but Sam had talked about him as they'd laid in bed after the _first time_. He couldn't keep the affection from coloring his voice and Dean found it endearing that he loved the kid that much. He'd never seen what a real father-son relationship should look like. His own relationship with his father had been nothing like that. It had been bloody, violent, and ended in tragedy. He knew that wasn't the norm, but still, that was his perception of family.

At least now Dean didn't have to try and figure out how to stay in Chicago after he dropped Sam off. He'd just enjoy this trip. Have world altering sex with Sam and then he'd quietly slip out of the city before there were any questions about him. He figured he could deflect Sam's curiosity for the two-day drive. They would be long days, but he knew from experience that he could make it in less than three if tried.

He'd drive the man to Chicago and he'd keep his mouth shut about what he'd learned. Maybe Sam would bring it up? At least that way Dean wouldn't feel as though he'd just had his heart ripped out. Which was strange, considering he barely knew Sam. The only thing that Dean knew for certain at the moment, was that Sam made him _feel_ in a way to no one ever had. So he did what he did best, he put on a show worthy of an Oscar. The masks that he'd perfected over the whole of his life were readily available and he picked one as Sam stepped out of the steamy bathroom.

He was toweling his hair dry and he grinned when he saw Dean watching the television like nothing was wrong. He didn't notice that Dean's back was ramrod straight or that his hands were clenched into fists inside his pockets. The tiny signs that things were not the same as when he'd entered the bathroom went completely unnoticed. There had been a complete shift in the room, but as Sam stared at Dean and his heart started to race, he didn't notice.

XXXX

Sam glanced over at Dean as he drove. The weather was not great, but he seemed to handle the nasty roads with a skill that spoke of many hours behind the wheel of this car. He'd been dually impressed when Dean had showed him what was obviously his pride and joy. A 1967 Chevy Impala that had been babied and well cared for. The engine had purred to life as the V-8 roared with the flood of fuel as Dean pumped the gas. The chains were already on the tires, which led Sam to assume that Dean had been getting ready to leave anyway.

The roads were only visible maybe fifteen feet in front of them as the car pushed through the slush on the highway. Dean hadn't said anything since they both climbed into the car. But he kept throwing sideways glances over at Sam. "Are you against talking in the car or something?" Sam finally asked when the silence was too much.

"Just concentrating, Sam." Dean answered without looking over.

Sam swallowed the confusion and turned slightly toward him. "You haven't said a word to me since we left the hotel." He glanced at his watch. "And that was an hour ago… Did I do something wrong?"

Dean shook his head. "Nope. Just trying to keep the rubber on the road."

"That's cryptic." Sam shot back without thinking.

A snowplow passed them and threw a whiteout of snow across the hood of the car. "Shit!" Dean swore as he grabbed the wheel with both hands and the tail of the car slipped to the right and then to the left. Sam's arm shot out and he grabbed the dashboard with one hand and Dean with the other.

"Ahh…come on." He groused. As the snow cleared and Dean was again able to see the road. He looked down Sam's long arm where it rested across his chest. Sam let it drop without thinking and it landed on his upper thigh. The feeling of his hand on Dean, left a burning sensation from the pressure and he swallowed his desire to take that hand and pull it up to his lips for a kiss. He kept his hands on the wheel instead.

Dean tilted his head, but didn't say anything when Sam didn't immediately remove it. He did, however, reach over and turn on the radio. Classic rock filled the interior of the car as they continued to move at a steady pace down along the deserted mountain pass between Jackson and Palisades. The snow was still falling in heavy wet sheets, but the wind had died out. The tiny sparkles that reflected back from the sunlight was enchanting and Sam found that he was actually enjoying the ride.

He left his hand on Dean's leg; a part of him wondered if the other man would reach down and intertwine their fingers… _God I hope so._ He thought in silence. Without meaning to, he'd developed feelings for the strong silent man driving him home for the holidays.

When another hour passed and Dean neither said anything, nor took Sam's hand he finally pulled it back and folded his arms before looking back out at the trees. Huge pine trees lined both sides of the two-lane highway.

"I need to stop for gas in the next town." Dean said without looking at him. "We can find something to eat if you're hungry."

Sam frowned. When had they gone from 'can't-keep-our-hands-off-each-other' to barely speaking? He didn't understand what had happened. He shook his head and then pulled his phone out. "Food would be great." He said simply as he looked at his emails. He thought about calling Adam, but he might lose the signal out here and he didn't want to scare the kid. Instead he pulled up his call list to find Ellen's number so he could text her that he was on his way.

That was when he saw Meg's call and a missing piece of the puzzle fell into place. She must have called while he'd been in the shower and Dean had answered. He wanted to groan at that. How much had she said? What did Dean know? He hated to think of the way that the kind man sitting next to him might be feeling. Meg had a biting tongue when she felt slighted and Dean answering Sam's phone would have done exactly that. But he also didn't want to tell Dean something that he might not know yet.

He chewed on the inside of his cheek as he debated. Twenty minutes later Dean pulled into a little gas station with a diner attached and climbed out as soon as the car was off. He stretched his back and lifted his arms toward the sky. There was a swath of tanned skin that peeked out when his jacket rode up. Sam swallowed his reaction to just _seeing_ Dean's naked torso and lower back. He quickly climbed out of the car and followed Dean inside the small ma and pop place.

It smelled like coffee and there were several other travelers taking a meal in the place. Sam glanced around and smiled at the festive little Christmas tree and the colored lights that had been strewn across the long counter. There were several booths lining the wall where the window was and Dean grinned suggestively at the woman behind the register when she waved them through.

"Find a seat, hon. I'll be right with you." But she wasn't immune to his handsome face or his piercing green eyes.

"Thank you, darling." Dean said easily. She flushed and her face brightened at the friendly response from the handsome patron.

Sam slipped in across from Dean and flipped over the coffee mug in a silent request for the black brew. He glanced over to make sure that there was plenty of cream and sugar, there was. "So do you stop by places like this a lot?" He managed in a lame attempt to break this all consuming silence between them.

Dean shrugged. "Best food is always the tiny dives along the highway." He winked at the waitress when she filled his coffee mug. "Thank you." He looked at her nametag. "Wendy…what's good in this place?"

The woman beamed. "Pretty much everything. Any preferences?"

 _Is she flirting with him?_ Sam wondered as the pretty brunette sidled up toward Dean and leaned over his menu pointing out several burger options. _Is he flirting with her?!_

"If you're suggesting the double slam, I'll take one of those...extra onions." He smiled and his green twinkled. She blushed again and turned to Sam.

"And for you?" She was still friendly, thought not as interested in what Sam had to say.

He raised an eyebrow when he saw Dean's gaze drop to the woman's shapely backside. "I'll just have coffee, thanks." He'd lost his appetite anyway.

The blonde man on the other side of the table tilted his head. "Aren't you hungry? It's gonna be a while before we stop again. Especially if you want to make to Chicago by Christmas." His expression darkened a bit, but there were no other signs that he was concerned.

Sam snorted. "I'm fine." He dumped a fair amount of cream into his coffee mug and reached for the sugar. Dean lifted an eyebrow in question. "What?" Sam asked defensively. _It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas,_ was playing in the background and for the first time Sam wished they'd change the station.

"You're going to ruin a perfectly good cup of coffee." Dean said flatly with an arched eyebrow.

"Like it matters." Sam shot back. Dean's cheek muscle twitched, but that was his only response to the snarky comment. Sam took a sip and held back a grimace at the strong coffee flavor. He generally drank lattes, not normal coffee…he was missing his lattes at the moment. He set the mug down and lifted his gaze to connect with Dean's. He was drinking his coffee black and seemed to be savoring the bitter brew. "How long do you think the drive will be?"

Dean inhaled slowly and thinned his lips as he thought. "Um…another twenty some-odd hours. It depends on the roads between here and there. We should make up some time when we drop further to the south, but we could still hit some pretty gnarly weather."

It was the most Dean had said to him since they left the hotel. "So are you talking to me again?" Sam asked innocently.

"I was never _not_ talking to you, Sammy."

Sam swallowed his knee jerk response. "You've been really quiet." He pulled his lower lip between his teeth as he debated on asking the next question. In the end, he decided to just go for it. "Does this have anything to do with my missed call from Meg?"

He expected some sort of reaction from the other man. But Dean shocked the hell out of him when he burst out laughing. "You mean the call from your _fiancé_?" He shook his head. There was no humor to the laughter and Sam wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. He knew that if their positions had been reversed he wouldn't have handled it as well as Dean had. He'd be angry and confused…and looking for a fight. Which as he looked into the sparking green eyes of the man across from him, he guessed Dean was. "Why would I be upset about that?"

"Dean…"

"No, Sam. Look…it's fine. It was one night. Okay, it was one day and it didn't mean anything. I get it. So don't worry about us. There is no _us_. There's a _you_ and there's a _me_. And we just happened to spend several fantastic hours in bed together. No harm no foul." Dean finished with a shrug. His stomach was twisting painfully and he was pretty sure that even if he managed to eat this burger, it wouldn't be staying down.

Sam felt as though Dean had just pulled his heart out of his chest and stomped on it with his heavy work boots. He'd assumed, wrongly apparently, that there was something special happening here. But as he stared at the blank expression on Dean's face he supposed that he must have been reading more into it than was really there. "Oh…okay then. I'm glad. That'll make the trip easier. Just two guys heading in the same general direction."

Dean nodded and sat back as their food arrived. Sam dropped his gaze and missed the flash of hurt that raced across the green depths of Dean's eyes as he watched Sam dig into his coffee again.

"Will there be anything else, sweetie?" The busty brunette asked. She was not being subtle and Sam found that he was clenching his fist around his spoon he poured more cream into his coffee.

"No, darling. Thank you." Dean said with a smile. It didn't reach his eyes though; he didn't feel much like smiling at the moment. His heart had been shredded that morning in the room and Sam had just finished off the job. So they were just travel companions? Fine. He could do that. At least he was pretty sure he could do that…all right, he was positive that it would suck out loud, but he would try. Particularly when all he really wanted to do was rip Sam's clothes off and make wild passionate love to him right here on this table.

TBC…

 _Author's Note:_ _Next chapter…Thank you for the reviews. They were awesome! You guys are awesome!_

 **Please Review: It makes for a great holiday present…just saying.**


	7. Ambushed

_Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure. No copyright infringement intended._

 _ **Synopsis:**_ _Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home to his not so perfect life for the holidays, but when a freak snowstorm stands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming he may find a new reason to celebrate the season. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson during the most festive time of the year, he might just have found something worth believing in._

 **NOTE:** This story focuses on un-related Sam and Dean as they find one another on a blustery Christmas night. It is a romantic Christmas story. Very light on the SLASH action, but it is there.

Rated T.

Don't like? Don't read it. SLASH M/M relationship!

 _Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, all grammatical errors are my own._

 _ **Please Review: So I know there's interest**_

 **Chapter Seven**

 _Ambushed_

Dean stared out at the snowy black night as the car rumbled over the ice covered freeway. He'd been driving for about ten hours and he was starting to get tired. He had a destination in mind and he figured that they'd better make it at least far if he wanted get Sam home before Christmas. He swallowed his reaction to the idea of dropping Sam off to his picture perfect life, while Dean drove like hell for the border of the windy city. His father wouldn't stand for him crossing back into Chicago for any reason other than to see him and Dean had no intention of doing that.

Dean would not be crossing paths with that man. Not if he wanted to keep his sexy skin in tact. He squinted into the dark, his lights were bouncing off the road and there was a slight snore emanating from the passenger seat. Dean's eyes slid sideways and his eyebrows cut down at the unsettled feeling in his stomach. He didn't want things with Sam to end the way they were likely to. Normally the whole, no strings attached thing worked perfectly for him. But with Sam? It didn't.

He wanted so much more than just one night. Or two. Or three. He looked over and noticed that the Sam's head was kinked to the side and Dean knew from experience that he would be hurting when he woke up.

He reached over and carefully lifted Sam's head into a more neutral position. He never woke, he simply sighed in his sleep and pressed his face against Dean's palm.

 _What the hell am I doing?_ Dean asked himself when his fingers ghosted over Sam's cheek and along his strong jaw. Sam was a dangerous person for Dean. Mostly because he wanted something more from the man and that wasn't something that Dean was used to. He'd spent his life perfecting the art of walking away. But there was a tiny little spark of fear in the depths of his mind that told him it would be more difficult with this man. And that was precisely why he _needed_ to do it.

The last relationship that he'd had didn't end all that well. In fact that was the other reason he shouldn't return to Chicago. He was pretty sure Carmen's father hadn't forgiven him for breaking his little girl's heart. She had been beautiful and they'd had a great time together, but it hadn't been anything more than that for him. Apparently for her…and Dean's father, it had been a match made in heaven.

He sighed and felt the burn of exhaustion behind his eyes. He'd need to find a place to stop for the night if he wanted to keep the car out of the ditch tomorrow. Dean drove for another hour before a turn off with a cheap motel came along. He steered the car down the off ramp and toward the Flat Plains Motel. It looked small and certainly wouldn't be up to Sam's standards, but it had the 'vacancy' sign on and Dean was fighting just to keep his eyes focused.

Sam finally felt the change in the car's momentum. He sat up and rubbed at his eyes as he looked out the window and squinted at the tiny motel. "Where are we?" He asked in a sleep-laved voice that sent little tingles up and down Dean's spine.

"Motel. I gotta sleep, man." He looked over at the lawyer. "Sorry it's not the Ritz." It came out with more of an edge than he'd intended and he felt bad when he watched Sam visibly stiffen at the comment.

"I didn't expect it to be." Sam said quietly. _What exactly did Dean think of him?_ He cleared his throat and quickly climbed from the car before Dean could turn it off. He headed straight into the small manager's office, pulling his coat tighter around his slim frame. A bell chimed overhead and he looked up and rolled his eyes when he saw mistletoe hanging from the ceiling.

"Need a room?" A man that appeared to be close to eighty ambled around the corner of the office. Sam could hear the television playing in the background, some old rerun, though he couldn't tell which one.

"Two if you have them." Sam inquired.

The man's eyes twinkled and he shook his head. "Sorry, buddy. I got one room left and that's it."

 _Perfect_. Sam thought with frustration. "Okay, does it have two beds?" _Please tell me it has two beds. Please…_

"One king bed." The man said without missing a beat. "Still want it? I'd love to turn off the vacancy sign and focus on old Bing Crosby movies." There was a smile in the old man's voice that prevented Sam from taking his irritation with the situation out on him.

Sam glanced out at Dean, he was digging around in the trunk of the car so he made a decision. "I'll take it."

Dean slammed the trunk after he'd hauled his green duffle and Sam's suitcase out, taking them toward the office. Sam stepped out to meet him. "Only one room. You're going to have to put up with me for another night. Sorry." The way he said it made Dean's skin crawl in regret. He hadn't meant to make Sam feel that he didn't want to be in the same room with him. He was just scared and he wasn't ashamed to think it. Say it, yes. But not think it.

"Two beds I assume?" He hazarded.

Sam shook his head and reached out for his bag before walking toward room seven.

Dean glanced up at the heavens. _What did I ever do to you?_ He wondered silently as he slowly followed Sam to _their_ room.

XXXX

Sam stopped when he stepped into the room, his eyes blowing wide in shock. There were hearts and Christmas trees everywhere. His gaze flashed to the desk and there in a heart shaped basket, was a bottle of wine and a 'congratulations' to the newlyweds card. Dean walked right into his back when Sam didn't immediately walk into the room.

"Keep it moving, Sam." He growled tiredly. It was cold as hell outside and he was tired of feeling his fingers throb with exposure.

Sam shook his head and took another step into the room. He knew the exact moment when Dean saw what he'd seen. There was a slow intake of breath and a moment of silence before…

"Fuck?! Seriously?" Dean ground out between his teeth. His eyes were whirling around the room in shock.

Sam spun around. "I swear I didn't know."

"I don't think you did this on purpose Sam." He exhaled in surprise and finally dropped his bag into the chair. "You didn't know where I was stopping tonight. Besides, it's not like we haven't slept in the same bed." He finished with tired resignation.

The way he said it was so sterile and unromantic that Sam wondered if he'd made up the reaction he'd seen in Dean when they'd been together earlier. "Glad to know it." He answered sourly before heading into the bathroom and quickly shutting Dean out.

Sam needed a few moments to himself. He sank down onto the side of the bathtub, letting his elbows rest on his knees. He pulled his cell phone out and quickly dialed Adam's number.

"Dad?" Came the hesitant answer. "Are you coming home?" There was a hint of broken expectations in the boy's voice and Sam felt his heart twist painfully.

"Hey'ya buddy. Yeah, yeah I'm on my way. How're you doing?" He listened as his son explained about his day. Ellen had taken him ice skating and he'd also been to see a movie, which he loved.

"Hurry home, dad." Adam said as they ended their conversation. "Love you."

There was a pricking sensation at the corners of his eyes as Sam reached up and wiped at his face. "Love you too, kiddo."

Sam hung up and swallowed his emotions before stepping back out into the main room. Dean was lounging on the bed, his boots kicked off and some old movie on the ancient television. "Bathroom's all yours." He said as he moved toward the unoccupied side of the bed.

Dean managed a friendly smile and nodded. "Is your son doing okay?"

Sam's eyes flashed up. He hadn't expected any sort of concern from Dean about his only child. The man continued to confound him. Every time that Sam thought he might have Dean figured out, the man did something to confuse his assessment. "Adam's okay. He wants me come home."

Longing passed over Dean's face before he threw his mask in place. "We'll get you there. I promise." He hauled himself up off the bed and grabbed his duffle bag before heading into the bathroom.

Sam watched him disappear into the room and only when he heard the shower turn on did he call Meg back.

She answered right before her phone would have kicked the call over to voice mail. "About time you called me back, honey. I was worried about you." She was pouring it on thick and they both knew it. But she didn't let on that she was upset about Dean answering the phone earlier, so he didn't bring it up.

"Meg, uh…how're things in the office?" He wasn't as happy about making this phone call as he knew he should be. Things had always been lukewarm for him where Meg was concerned. It wasn't that she wasn't pretty or that she wouldn't make a good match for him, but he didn't feel the same _spark_ with her that he had with Jessica…or Dean.

"Things couldn't be better. The entire firm is poised for the merger and our more personal merger." She added with a giggle. "Are you going to make it home for Christmas then?" There was hope there and a hint of expectation. Sam frowned and his eyes slid toward the man that was currently naked in the heart shaped shower. He wanted to be in there more than anything, with Dean, but instead he was going to make his sudo-girlfriend feel better about their farce of a relationship.

"I should be, yes." The water shut off and Sam rushed to get off the phone. "Uh, Meg I'll call you if anything changes."

"Oh all right…love you." She added and he internally cringed.

The bathroom door opened and he bit his lip between his teeth before quietly answering. "Love you too."

"I'll see you tomorrow then, babe." She cooed before hanging up.

"Bye…" Sam replied.

"That the fiancé?" Dean asked flatly from where he was standing in the now open doorway of the bathroom.

Sam choked down his regret that Dean had overheard any of that. He lifted his eyes and his breath caught in his throat. Dean was toweling off his hair, wearing nothing but a towel. The water was still dripping down his perfectly formed abs and disappearing into the fluffy top of the white towel. The thin line of hair that started near his navel and also dipped beneath the top of the material had Sam struggling to find words to respond. Dean had perfectly rounded shoulders that tapered down into shapely arms and hands that he longed to have running over his body. He wanted to see the ecstasy on Dean's face as he licked the shimmering lines of water from his perky little nipples.

The more he stared, the harder he got and eventually he couldn't help but shift to alleviate the constant and somewhat painful pressure of his own erection. "Uh…that was Meg. I figured I'd better call her back." He stammered.

Dean nodded and walked to his other bag, pulling out some shorts and a t-shirt. "Probably a good idea. Women get pissed about stuff like that."

"Stuff like what?" Sam asked innocently as he hurried to cross his legs and hide his _reaction_ to Dean's current state of undress.

He snorted at Sam's naïve response. "Ignoring them. Not calling them back. Calling them by the wrong name. Just to name a few." He let a sexy little grin pull at the edges of his cupid-bow lips. "Trust me, I've used them all."

 _That_ got his attention in a major way. "Really…" Sam took a moment to consider what this would do to him if it were Dean getting phone calls from _fiances_ and then tossed caution to the wind and stood up, closing the distance between them in two long steps.

He didn't give Dean a chance to move away before he was grabbing his face and mashing his lips against Dean's in a desperate kiss. He moaned this needy little sound that had Dean groaning in response and sliding his fingers into Sam's silky soft hair. He didn't know who got who to open their mouth, but very quickly their tongues were tangling for control. He dropped his hands to the small of Dean's back and splayed his fingers wide over the warm skin as he pulled the shorter man against him.

There was no tension in him as Sam continued to send tiny shocks of pleasure through his body. Dean hummed in appreciation and Sam finally pulled back long enough to look into Dean's seductively dark green eyes. They were blown wide in need as he looked up at Sam in a hooded gaze that sent Sam's heart racing.

"Is this okay?" Sam asked in a husky voice. His fingers remaining around Dean's waist as he waited for the other man to deny him this.

Dean swallowed his body's automatic response to Sam's close proximity and the desire that was clouding his better judgment. He finally managed a smile. "Just the sex?"

Sam's eyebrows cut down in answer. "No. Not just the sex…me…and you? Is that…okay?"

"What about your _fiancé_?" Dean asked around the lump in his throat.

"I'll deal with that." He answered softly. His voice was throaty and deep as he swallowed the rising emotions and stared down in suddenly vulnerable green eyes.

Dean reached up and placed Sam's face between his two hands, staring deep into Sam's ocean colored eyes. "Can we leave that until we have to _deal_ with it? Until then, we can just do this…" He pulled Sam's lips to his and couldn't stop the sensual keen that emanated from somewhere in his chest when the taller man's fingers pulled the towel from its precarious position around his hips.

Sam's breath caught in his throat at the feeling of Dean's naked body pressing all along the length of his body. And his hands had free access to the man's sinful skin, which Sam took full advantage of. He dropped to his knees in front of the naked man and trailed his tongue down the taunt skin, leaving goose bumps in the warm wet wake of his tongue. He blew on the skin and Dean keened in response, his head dropping back and his hips popping forward uncontrollably.

Sam smiled then ran his teeth over the muscles of Dean's abdomen, before standing back up to reclaim the plump lips in a needy kiss.

"Oh god…I'll give you all night to stop that." Dean moaned as Sam's fingers started to knead at the base of his spine and then slipped lower to brush over the dimples above his buttocks and then dropping to finally cup the perfectly rounded muscles of his butt.

Sam smiled against his lips and pulled Dean toward the bed with every intention of ravaging him before they fell into bed for a few hours. He would deal with his _problems_ over the next few days, but between now and then, he could continue to worship Dean's body.

"I thought you were exhausted?" Sam said with a grin as he slowly removed his shirt and sidled forward and straddled Dean's legs. He was smiling when he saw the mischievous grin break up Dean's sultry smoldering gaze.

Dean sat up and pulled Sam down on top of him. "Not too tired for this." He reached down and palmed Sam through his jeans causing the other man to groan in anticipation.

XXXX

The light was barely breaking the horizon as Dean rolled over and inhaled the scent that was uniquely Sam. There was a twinge of regret as he stared at the sleeping man next to him. He reached out and brushed a lock of hair that had fallen across the bridge of Sam's nose. He murmured something that Dean didn't quite catch…at least he thought that he must have heard it wrong, because it sounded a lot like… _love you…_ and that couldn't be right. He must be thinking about that girlfriend of his, since he'd definitely told her the night before that he loved her. And that hurt...more than it should.

His heart shuddered at the thought of what was happening between them and it made him ache in ways that he wasn't able to quantify…and that scared him. No, that's not entirely true. It _terrified_ him. He was falling in love with this exacerbating man that made his knees weak and he wasn't sure that that was a good thing. They came from two different worlds. Worlds that couldn't exist in the same hemisphere let alone the same city.

He licked his lips and pulled his hand back and tucked it beneath himself before he pushed himself to the edge of the bed. He let his legs dangle for a moment and then shoved to his feet and searched for his boxer-briefs and then his jeans. He slid his long legs in and fastened the button as they settled on his lean hips.

Dean took a deep breath and shoved down his growing feelings for Sam in an effort to stop their exponential expansion. As long he was the only one that was going to get his heart broken at the end of this trip…his gaze drifted back to the slumbering form in the bed and he sighed. Sam had a life to go back to. A child that clearly adored him and a new… _wife_? One more night, that was all he was going to get with Sam Wesson before he went back to his perfect life and Dean drifted on out of town.

TBC…

 **Author's Note:** _Merry Christmas! Thank you for the reviews and I hope that the late post works for everyone._

 **Please Review: It is the season of giving after all.**


	8. Mirror Image

_Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure. No copyright infringement intended._

 _ **Synopsis:**_ _Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home to his not so perfect life for the holidays, but when a freak snowstorm stands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming he may find a new reason to celebrate the season. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson during the most festive time of the year, he might just have found something worth believing in._

 **NOTE:** This story focuses on un-related Sam and Dean as they find one another on a blustery Christmas night. It is a romantic Christmas story. Very light on the SLASH action, but it is there.

Rated T.

Don't like? Don't read it. SLASH M/M relationship!

 _Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, all grammatical errors are my own._

 _ **Please Review: So I know there's interest**_

 **Chapter Eight**

 _Mirror Image_

The inclination to continue sleeping was so intense that Sam had to physically force himself to wake up. There was a pleasant feeling of floating and he wanted to remain in the contentment that he rarely found in his normal life. He was warm and happy; two things he hadn't felt in a very long time and certainly not at the same time. He stretched and his fingers slid over the cool and very empty other side of their shared bed. His eyelids slid apart and he blinked several times willing his eyes to focus in the dim light. The curtains were blocking out almost all of the light and he wondered what time it really was. They would need to be on the road fairly early to make the last nine hundred miles by Christmas. That thought had him sitting bolt upright in bed and allowing the blankets to drape low across his hips.

The air in the room was chilly and he immediately pulled the covers over his naked chest.

"Dean?" He called softly.

The only answer was the continued silence in the room and Sam frowned. He hauled himself out of the cocoon of warmth and glanced around for his underwear and pants. A slight groan was his only response when he saw them crumpled in a pile at the end of the bed. He grabbed them and slid the expensive material on before stepping to the window and looking out the parking area for the Impala.

A moment of panic wound its way through his heart when he didn't see the black car in the lot. _Did he leave me?_ Sam hadn't meant to think that, but his brain was a little on the cynical side when it came to his happiness. Life had proven this outlook accurate over and over and he'd stopped questioning it long ago. His dark eyebrows cut down and he flipped on the lone lamp in the honeymoon suite. There on the dresser was a neatly folded piece of paper with his name scrawled across the front. He quickly crossed to read the note.

 _Sammy,_

 _Ran to the diner to grab us some breakfast. I'm starving and figured you would be too. Don't worry; I didn't leave your ass in some no-name town. Be back soon._

 _\- Dean_

Sam wanted to argue with Dean's _spot on_ assessment of his reaction. But it seemed as though the other man knew him better than he thought. The fact that he'd left a note actually brought a slight smile to Sam's lips. It meant that he'd thought about what waking up _alone_ would do to Sam and he hadn't wanted him to worry. _Dammit. I'm falling in love with you, Dean._ He thought as his heart warmed at the idea. He hadn't meant for any of this to happen. The last thing that he wanted was to complicate his already _complicated_ life.

Sam quickly made the bed, he didn't want to give the little old man that ran the place a coronary when he came in and saw the room in complete disarray. In an effort to distract himself, Sam flipped on the television and skimmed the few channels looking for anything of interest. Mostly the news was all the same. A wreck here, stranded passengers there… _I know all about that._ He thought with derision. Sam finally stopped on a news channel and sat back against the headboard to see what was happening in the rest of the world.

A story came on about a woman that was searching for her long lost husband…and when the picture flashed across the TV, Sam found himself leaning forward in shock. There was a wedding picture that included the Mayor of Chicago, his daughter Carmen, and Dean _Winchester_ as it turned out. He'd still not asked what Dean's last name was and now he didn't have to. There staring at him was the proof that he wasn't the only one with something, or someone, waiting for him in the windy city.

The pang of jealousy that wound through his chest was surprising in its intensity. He felt like he'd been lied to. But he couldn't really fault Dean, since he hadn't been exactly forth coming in his backstory either. But staring at the face of the man he was rapidly falling for as he held onto the slim waist of a gorgeous brunette wasn't good for his sanity. Sam clicked the television off and scrubbed his hand down his face. "We're a mess, Dean." He said to the empty room. He now knew from first hand experience that Dean wasn't exactly straight, although based on the fact that he had a _wife_ seem to suggest that he wasn't gay either.

And Sam was no better. Although he hadn't married the only daughter of the most popular mayor in the history of the city of Chicago, so it wasn't the same thing. Carmen was a District Attorney and she could squash the hell out of several of Sam's current cases. Not only that, but she had the ear of the almost every judge in the city, so that wouldn't bode well for his firm either. _Shit…what the hell do I do now, Dean?_ He wondered to himself.

The familiar rumble of Dean's beloved car pulled him from his thoughts and Sam hurried and grabbed a grey cashmere sweater and pulled it over his head, hiding his previously naked torso. With the way things were going for them, they didn't need a repeat of last night. This _thing_ between them was doomed and there was nothing either of them could do about it.

The door opened and Dean shoved inside with a shiver. "Holy crap it's cold out there. If it's over ten degrees I'll be impressed." He smiled and set two Styrofoam containers on the small table and a carryall with two cups of coffee. "Don't worry, I girl'ied yours up for ya. Cream, sugar, and I brought extra of everything just in case." He finished with a mock bow. His eyes were twinkling with mischief and it made the lawyer's stomach turn with the knowledge he now possessed.

Sam swallowed his own feelings as they bubbled around just beneath the surface. This wasn't what he wanted…all this secrecy between them. He knew enough about Dean to know if the man wanted him to know about his past, he would have told him. It was pretty apparent that he didn't want anything to do with the life he'd clearly run away from. But Sam didn't think that in the long run he could accept that. His curious nature would impede his ability to simply 'let it go'. His father had always told him, the things that made him a good lawyer, made it difficult to maintain normal healthy relationships.

"You're awfully quiet, Sammy. You okay?" Dean asked as he slid over and dropped a lingering kiss on Sam's surprised lips. He was too stunned to answer or respond properly at first, but eventually his brain kicked back in.

Sam pulled away after a moment when he felt Dean start to deepen the kiss and looked into his mesmerizing green eyes. "Sorry, just woke up. That's all." He lied easily. It actually sickened him how easily the lies could roll off his tongue when he needed them to.

Dean shrugged and stood up to grab the food. "Here's some grub. Picked up bacon and eggs for me and a spinach omelet for you." His glanced up. "That okay?" It didn't appear to Sam that he was suspicious.

He nodded and turned away in a hurry to hide the pain that followed that smile. Dean had paid close enough attention to know that he ate pretty healthy. No one had picked up on that without him explaining it first and now? It had to be Dean that got it…got him. The universe seemed to be playing a very cruel joke on him and Sam definitely wasn't getting the punch line.

XXXX

The Impala was rumbling along the clear road. The sparkling white snow lined both sides of the long desolate highway, but there was nothing on the actual road itself. The air outside the warm car was crisp and very cold. In the distance was a large farm; complete with a huge wooden barn that looked like it was out of a postcard. Dean's eyes slid over and he wondered why he'd been so quiet. They'd exchanged some nonsensical conversation, but nothing that had any depth to it and he didn't know what had changed. Sam had kissed Dean, not the other way around and now it felt like Dean was the bad guy. His chest tightened at the thought and old insecurities fluttered to the surface.

He repositioned his hands on the steering wheel and took the turn off for the freeway. They were only a few hours outside of Chicago and the closer he got the more he knew he should tell Sam why he'd left the city. But the memory of that night was still so fresh in his mind that he found it difficult to put words to it. That had been the night he'd learned that there are monsters out there. Not the kind that are born of warped or creative minds, but the kind that can destroy lives with actions. People that don't care who is hurt on their path to power or fame… _Oh yeah, I know a few of those too._ He thought silently.

"Are we going to make it all the way tonight? Or do we have to stop again?" Sam asked quietly from the other side of the car. It almost felt like he was on the other side of the moon, he seemed so far away. There had been no wayward touches or _accidental_ brushes between their bodies since last night and it was beginning to confuse the other man.

Dean glanced over and frowned. Was Sam in that big of a hurry to get away from him? Was he really that much of a problem for the man? Emotions he didn't want kept rearing up and attacking him when he wasn't ready. He swallowed the pain that that thought caused him and looked back out at the beautiful colors of the setting sun. There were cool, where summer sunsets are warm, all the rusts and reds had given way to soft yellow and blue. "We still have about five hours. I'd like to stop for some food and then we can push through. That way you're there for Christmas morning. Best I can do." He finished evenly.

This time Sam looked at him and apparently he didn't like what he saw. "You okay?" The question was soft and straight forward, but there beneath the surface were his true feelings. He didn't really want to know what was bothering Dean. Because if he did, then he might not have the power to do what needed to be done. They both knew that this…whatever it was between them...lust...infatuation...love…it was a short-term thing. It wasn't going to lead to nuzzling under a warm blanket in front of a fireplace watching old movies on a cold night. Not that that would've been a problem for Dean. In fact that pretty much was a fantasy for someone that didn't feel they had a home. There wouldn't be family outings with Adam and dinner parties at Sam's firm. No long lazy showers on Sunday mornings before heading out to a family gathering and drinking in the evenings. No, these were all things that Dean Winchester would never have.

They both had lives and their lives simply didn't include each other. It sucked out loud. At least Dean thought it did. He hoped that Sam thought the same, but he wasn't going to ask. "I'm fine." Dean replied coolly.

Sam frowned but didn't push. He turned back to the landscape as it flew by and leaned his head against the window. It was a few minutes before he realized that Dean was asking him something. "What?"

"I asked if you're hungry?" Dean repeated with a shake of his head.

"Oh, yeah…I could eat." Sam said dismissively.

The blonde just shook his head and took the next exit. Trying to find a place to eat after seven at night on Christmas Eve turned out to be like winning the lottery. Pretty much everything was closed and the darkened windows served as a reminder that they should each be with their respective families on this night.

Dean finally managed to find a truck stop diner that was open and they both trudged inside, their hands holding their coats closed against the biting cold.

An older woman, probably in her fifties, smiled at them from behind the counter. "Pick a seat, any seat. Be with you gents in a moment."

Dean nodded easily. "Thank you." He didn't think about it when he laid his hand across the small of Sam's back and led him toward a booth near a large heater.

He didn't notice, but Sam did. The feeling of Dean _leading_ him was more natural than it should be and it left Sam feeling a bit confused as he sank into the seat. He looked up at Dean through the fringe of his bangs and watched as he removed his leather jacket. This man stirred feelings that Sam hadn't known he possessed and that scared him. That and the knowledge that Dean was actually married…to a woman no less. And that he'd run from that responsibility for some reason. He wanted desperately to ask, but then he'd have to admit that he'd known all day and hadn't brought it up. Maybe it would just be better if he kept this to himself. It wasn't like they were going to see each other after tonight.

"So I was thinking that we could take the Interstate as far as Rosemont and then hang a left and we should have you home by about two in the morning." Dean chattered amiably. He grinned when the waitress brought them a steaming carafe of coffee and two mugs. "Can we get some cream with this?" He asked.

Sam's eyes shot up and he stared at Dean, incredulous.

After a moment Dean noticed. "What? You like cream." He said like it was common knowledge and everyone should know about Sam's coffee habits.

Before Sam could say anything the woman returned. "What can I get you boys?"

Dean scanned the menu and smiled widely at something he saw there. "I'll have your double cheeseburger, extra onions and onion rings." His green eyes twinkled. "And a piece of Apple pie and pumpkin."

"Sure thing." She looked at Sam expectantly.

Sam stammered for a moment. He hadn't even glanced at the menu. "Cob salad."

Dean looked like Sam had just ordered blackened baby. "A cob salad? Seriously, Sam? It's Christmas Eve, try living a bit."

He groaned and looked back at the menu. "Fine. I'll have what he's having."

Again with that smile, Dean nodded and handed the menus to the woman. "Much better."

"What is it with you and the way I eat?" Sam asked as he fixed his coffee. He banged his knee into the bottom of the table when Dean's leg brushed against his.

Dean didn't notice the nervous energy that was surrounding Sam. He felt perfectly at ease in the diner. "Because you need to live a little. You're wound way too tight, Sammy."

Sam tilted his head and snorted. "It's Sam." He said derisively.

"Sammy sounds better. Not so formal." Dean answered immediately. "So, do you have Adam's Christmas presents already?"

There was a slight nod. "I sent my secretary out when I realized I might not make it back."

Dean's eyebrows cut down in disgust. "You had your secretary buy your kids Christmas? That's…very progressive."

Sam glared at him and he shrugged. "Didn't exactly have much of a choice. It was that or an airport gift shop Christmas. What about you? What are you doing for Christmas?"

A mask slid neatly into place as Dean continued to look at Sam. "Not sure. I'll just go wherever the wind takes me."

"You mean you _don't_ have anywhere to go." Sam interpreted.

"We can't all have perfect little families and _fiancés_ at home." This time there was some bite to the comment and Dean knew that he'd hit a nerve when a muscle in Sam's cheek jumped.

"So you're telling me that you don't have a family? That it's just you? No ex-wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, or siblings?" Sam was hoping that if he prodded hard enough that Dean would break down and tell him the truth. Knowing that Dean did in fact have a family, a very wealthy and powerful family was starting to wear on Sam. He could lie easily on the outside, but on the inside it always tore him apart until he eventually broke.

Dean leaned back in the booth and stared intently at Sam. "Why the sudden interest in my family?"

"I'm not. Not really, just want to make sure you have somewhere to go."

"I have somewhere to go, Sam." It was a deflection and they both knew it, but neither of them wanted to finish this conversation, so they let it go.

TBC…

 **Author's Note:** _Sorry for the delay. Travel and life reared their heads this week. Next chapter we're in Chicago and things are going to come to a head for both boys. Thank you for the reviews, you guys are amazing._

 **Please Review: Please and thank you.**


	9. Home Not-so-Sweet Home

_Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure. No copyright infringement intended._

 _ **Synopsis:**_ _Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home to his not so perfect life for the holidays, but when a freak snowstorm stands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming he may find a new reason to celebrate the season. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson during the most festive time of the year, he might just have found something worth believing in._

 **NOTE:** This story focuses on un-related Sam and Dean as they find one another on a blustery Christmas night. It is a romantic Christmas story. Very light on the SLASH action, but it is there.

Rated T.

Don't like? Don't read it. SLASH M/M relationship!

 _Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, all grammatical errors are my own._

 _ **Please Review: So I know there's interest**_

 **Chapter Nine**

 _Home Not-So-Sweet Home_

The snow-covered streets were still so familiar it hurt as Dean drove through Chicago. It was still early enough that even the snowplows weren't out yet. Not to mention that it was Christmas morning…a blustery and snowy Christmas morning…but Christmas non-the less. So that probably had something to do with the uneasy quiet of the normally busy metropolis. The snow was falling in huge white flakes and building into a lovely blanket of white over the silent city. The soft glow of lights from inside the stylish homes and the colored Christmas bulbs were the only illumination. It occurred to Dean that he'd actually missed his hometown.

It had been more than four years since he'd been back and now, as he drove through the high heavy snow, he wondered if anything had changed. He suspected that his father had not, but what about Carmen's father? Was he still out for blood? Or would he have come to his senses and realized that Dean had done what was best for all of them.

He ran his fingers down his face, the stubble of his unshaved beard prickling along his fingers, and then he sighed the car turned down the street that Sam had told him he lived on. He glanced over at the lanky lawyer and felt his eyebrows pull together in frustration. He wanted to tell the man everything. A part of his head was begging him to do exactly that. Break down the walls that were steadily building between them and throw all his cards on the table and see where they landed. That was an odd sensation. This push to tell the truth, the actual truth, not some fabricated version of it, as Dean was used to.

Over the last few days he'd managed to fall head over heels in love with the sexy man sleeping not three feet from him. He hadn't intended for it to happen. He didn't _want_ it to happen. In fact, Dean had done his god dammed best to make sure that it _didn't_ happen. And yet here he was, staring at the undeniably handsome man and wondering if Sam might actually understand why he'd done what he'd done? Or if there would be some horrible penance that he still had to pay for bowing to the pressures of his father…as if he wasn't in hell already. In Sam, he had found everything that he wanted and yet he was scared to reach out and take it.

"I can feel you staring at me, Dean." Sam mumbled as he opened his eyes and rubbed at them tiredly. The car was quiet and warm. The soft classic rock that he'd come to associate with Dean was softly breaking up the complete silence. He stretched and his shirt rode up across his flat stomach and Dean found that he had to force his eyes away from the tantalizing picture the exposed skin made.

"I wasn't." Dean responded a bit too quickly for either of them to believe the statement. He cleared his throat and let his best half-smile crinkle at the corners of his eyes with false humor. "I was just checking my mirrors."

Sam chuckled. "No, you weren't." He looked out the window and realized that they were two blocks from his house. "It's just up around the next corner."

"I know." Dean said softly as he took the turn. "I was paying attention when you told me. Believe it or not."

"As I recall you weren't paying attention to anything but my neck at the time." Sam answered with a chuckle. Despite the humor of the comment, there was a heat simmering beneath it that set Dean's heart racing.

The blonde cleared his throat again. "Uh…yeah…well I was…listening."

Sam raised an eyebrow and glanced over at him. "Multi-tasker huh?"

"Guess so." Dean responded evenly. He slowed when a large colonial home came into view and he couldn't stop the low whistle at the sheer size of the place. "Wow…ain't done too bad have ya, Sammy?"

Blue-green eyes flickered over. "Being a partner in a top law firm has its perks." Sam wasn't sure he liked the way Dean had said that. It gave him a reason to wonder just what exactly Dean had grown up with. He knew that he had been… _who am I trying to convince here…_ he is married to the mayor's daughter. An uneasy pinch in his heart had him shying away from that line of thinking. He realized that the man in question was talking to him and he pulled his wandering thoughts back to the present.

"What?" He asked.

"I said…I'd say that's an understatement." Dean responded quickly. The more he saw the more he knew that Sam was simply out of his league. Or at least he was as long as Dean's father was out there calling the shots. He couldn't ask a man with a son and a home to give it all up for a shot at something that may or may not result in a life together. "Hey Sam, can I ask you something?"

Sam shrugged. "Sure." He said warily.

Dean felt unusually vulnerable as he debated on actually asking his question. "Think we'll run into each other again?"

His question had the other man turning toward him in question as Dean rolled to a halt in front of the large stone home. Sam reached out gently took Dean's hand from the wheel and wrapped it in his larger ones. "I'd like to think so." Sam smiled and then made a radical and instant decision. "Think you can stay for Christmas dinner?" He glanced down and then looked at Dean through the fringe of his long dark eyelashes. "I can't really cook, but after you drove me all this way, least I can do is feed you something proper. Ellen, the woman that watches Adam, she can cook great."

The blonde pulled his plump lower lip between his teeth and finally nodded slowly. The lip action was a sexy little thing that Sam didn't think Dean even knew he did. He never tried to pull his hand from Sam's; he simply sat there reveling in the feeling of warmth emanating from across the seat. He placed the car in park and turned to look the lawyer fully in the face. "I'm not imagining…any of this. Am I?" It came out almost as a whisper and Dean had lowered his brilliant green eyes. He'd never been in love and it was a wholly unsettling experience for a man that lived his life one day at a time.

Sam's eyebrows knitted together as he considered Dean's question. He didn't wait for long before leaning in and placing a gentle, yet passionate kiss on the pink cupid bow lips. Dean responded immediately, unlacing their fingers and reaching up before running his fingers through Sam's soft hair. He heard the soft moan as his palm cupped the base of Sam's skull and he heartily pressed his lips against Sam's in response. It was a kiss of both need and a desperate attempt to prove that this wasn't a random thing. That there was something between them and that they weren't just 'fooling around'. Sam's hands dropped and he pressed them into Dean's lower back, pulling him closer. The action pulled a low moan from somewhere deep inside the shorter man and Sam's stomach fluttered at the knowledge that he could do this to Dean.

He could control how this man responded to him and he liked it. Never in his life had Sam felt that kind of power. And the truly scary thing was that Dean had that same power over him. After several blissful moments he pulled back and looked down into wide green eyes. His fingers dragged gently down Dean's cheek and slid over the smooth skin of his neck. The man's head dropped back and a needy little moan slipped past his lips and it made Sam's heart ache.

"No, Dean. You're not imagining anything." He whispered before leaning in and pressing another soft kiss against Dean's temple.

A light flipped on inside the house and the curtain pulled back. Adam's blonde head popped up and Sam patted Dean's knee before climbing from the warmth of the car. The child burst from the house, no coat and only a pair of slippers on his feet.

"Dad!" Adam cried as he launched himself into his father's waiting arms.

"Hey'ya buddy…" Sam hugged the child to him and took a deep breath. Adam smelled of shampoo and soap…and something that any parent would recognize, but couldn't be identified.

Dean watched the reunion with interest. He'd never been around children and he didn't have any siblings. So watching the bond between father and son was something of a news flash to him. His own father hadn't ever done more than pat Dean on the head once. The fact that he could even recognize that what he was feeling for Sam was love…was a miracle in and of itself.

Sam set the boy down and turned toward Dean. "Adam, this is my friend Dean. He drove me home so I could be here for Christmas."

Adam turned huge blue eyes on Dean and then he took off running and grabbed Dean around the waist. He couldn't help the stiffening of his body in a shocked reaction to the child's proximity. "Thank you for bringing my dad home." Adam said as he hugged the relative stranger.

Dean's eyes flashed up and he looked terrified as he stared at Sam. The look reminded him of a deer he'd once seen caught in the headlights of his parent's car as a kid. The lawyer smiled and mouthed, 'hug him back'. Dean's arms felt leaden as he raised them and managed to get them around the boy in one of the most awkward hugs Sam had ever seen. "My pleasure." He managed around the lump in his throat.

Sam eventually stepped in and _rescued_ Dean from the grateful arms of his only son. "Hey buddy, why don't you head back inside where it's warm. Dean and I will meet you in a minute."

Adam grinned a wide toothy smile. "You're staying for Christmas too?" He asked eagerly.

Sam's gaze lifted to Dean's and he waited for the answer too. Dean felt his gut twist and he finally nodded. "Yeah…I can stay for a bit."

"Awesome!" Adam sprinted for the house, his slipper-clad feet sliding on the snow and ice in his haste.

"Be careful, kiddo." Sam called affectionately.

"He's a great kid." Dean said as he turned back to the car and grabbed Sam's bag from the trunk. He felt the shudder in his heart as he considered that this might be the last time he would be in the same room with the other man. He'd managed to make _this_ thing between them far more than a simple one-night stand…and now Dean didn't know where to go. Could they be friends? Could they be something more? Was he even _capable_ of more…Dean wasn't sure.

The glow that shadowed Sam's face as he stared after his son was indescribable and it made Dean wish that _he_ could put that type of look on the man's face. "Yeah, he is. So you good with staying…for a bit, anyways?"

Green eyes narrowed playfully. "You got bacon?" Dean managed a smile when Sam nodded. "And coffee?"

Sam grinned. "Wouldn't be much a host if I didn't."

Dean tilted his head and started toward the house. "Then I guess I'm staying."

XXXX

Sam sat across from Dean at the ornate wooden table and simply watched the blonde as he shoved a large piece of bacon between his luscious lips. Adam was laughing at something on the television and it pulled Sam's head in that direction. When he turned back toward Dean, the other man was staring at Sam. There was a strange look on his face.

"How long has it been since you sat and ate breakfast like a normal person?"

A flash of hurt echoed over his face before he hid it and forced a smile. "Too long. I don't remember the bacon being this good." He glanced up through his long eyelashes and it might have been the sexiest thing that Sam had ever seen. "The company wasn't as good either." Sam slammed his knee into the bottom of his heavy and extremely hard table when Dean reached under with his toes and ran them over Sam's inner thigh. "The no shoe thing ain't so bad either."

Sam's eyes flashed to where his son was laughing at the 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas'. There was a brief lack of warmth as Dean pulled his foot away when he caught Sam's eyes lingering on his son's turned back. "Sorry…" He muttered before turning back to the food on the table.

He hadn't meant to make Dean feel uncomfortable or that he'd done something wrong. That wasn't how Sam was feeling, he was just trying to figure out how to approach any conversation about a _future_ with Dean.

There was a brief silence before Dean finally said something. "I think I should probably head out." His gaze flickered around the home and then landed back on Sam. "This wasn't a real good idea."

"What are you saying?" He was pretty sure he knew exactly what Dean was saying, but he didn't want it to be true. They hadn't actually discussed anything.

There was a ragged intake of breath before the blonde answered him. He tilted his head to the side and let sad smile work its' way onto his lips. "I don't regret anything, Sammy. But you and me…this ain't a good idea."

Sam would have given anything at that moment to know what the other man was thinking. "Dean—"

He held up his hand to stop Sam's coming rebuttal. "Sam. Look around you. This is a beautiful house and you have a family to think about. And I don't think it'd be in Adam's best interest if I stay…so I'm gonna go ahead and go." He stood up and forced a smile that he didn't feel. Sam had never felt like his heart was being forcefully pulled from his chest, but the mere thought of never seeing Dean again had to be what that would feel like.

"Please don't…" He managed to whisper past the lump in his throat. "Please don't go."

Dean turned back toward him; his face was shrouded in shadows so Sam couldn't make out the expression. He pulled himself to unsteady feet and moved around the table toward Dean. He continued to listen to his son's laughter in the other room, but his focus was now entirely on Dean. He didn't think about the consequences, he simply pulled the smaller man into his arms and kissed him. The response was instantaneous. Within moments Dean's arms encircled him and he pressed his solid form against Sam's. It didn't last long, but it was so full of longing that neither of them could deny what it meant.

As they pulled apart the doorbell chiming caused them both to jump in surprise. A woman's voice filled the house as the door opened without waiting for anyone to answer. "Sam? Are you here, darling?"

Green eyes flew up and crashed into shocked blue-green irises. His mouth opened and closed several times before he released Dean and turned toward the foyer…and Meg.

TBC…

 **Author's Note:** _New chapter…sorry for the delay._

 **Please Review: It would be greatly appreciated.**


	10. Walking the Plank

_Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure. No copyright infringement intended._

 _ **Synopsis:**_ _Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home to his not so perfect life for the holidays, but when a freak snowstorm stands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming he may find a new reason to celebrate the season. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson during the most festive time of the year, he might just have found something worth believing in._

 **NOTE:** This story focuses on un-related Sam and Dean as they find one another on a blustery Christmas night. It is a romantic Christmas story. Very light on the SLASH action, but it is there.

Rated T.

Don't like? Don't read it. SLASH M/M relationship!

 _Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, all grammatical errors are my own._

 _ **Please Review: So I know there's interest**_

 **Chapter Ten**

 _Walking the Plank_

Sam had never "walked the plank". In fact he had never been on a ship, but he imagined that it must feel something like walking into that room. The room where he knew his _fiancé_ was waiting for an explanation about his recent behavior. And then there was the small fact that she actually _deserved_ one too. But then there was Dean…and what Sam was feeling for the undeniably sexy man was something special.

His entire life had been a series of 'explanations' and Sam had hoped that this would not be one of those moments. But he'd left too many things to chance and now he was about to hurt two people and he was fairly certain neither of them deserved it.

Knowing that Dean was slowly shuffling behind him just made this seemingly _simple_ action all the more painful. The soft jerky breath of the other man was twisting Sam's heart in painful little knots as he walked. He hadn't set out to cause anyone pain, but it seem that that was exactly what he'd managed to do. And he hadn't just hurt Dean; Sam had managed to shred his own emotions in the process. Before he'd met Dean, he had actually convinced himself that he could be happy with Meg. That they could build a life, albeit one that he didn't truly want, but a life nonetheless, one that included his son and a viable business.

While he and Meg were in this more from a _merger_ point of view than love, he was pretty sure that the whole 'a woman scorned thing' hadn't come from nowhere. Which meant that he was going to pay for this no matter how it went down.

On one hand he would probably lose Dean…and that was a truly torturous thought, and on the other hand, he could lose what he'd spent his entire life building…the partnership. He and Meg might not be in love with one another, but they wanted the same things. A successful practice that came with stability, all in service of those they loved. In his case that was Adam, in hers, a daughter named Amelia.

Sam swallowed the lump in his throat as he stepped slowly into the large ornately festive foyer. Garland hung from the deep mahogany banisters. Bright red poinsettias lined each step in an inviting manner that was eerily similar to the decorating style of the Inn in Jackson Hole. "Meg, what're you doing here?" He asked softly. The music from his son's cartoon was drifting through the house, almost making a mockery of his current _sticky_ situation.

Her brown eyes flashed up and she blinked in feigned surprise. "Should I leave?" She asked after a moment, almost flippantly.

Dean stepped around the corner and her cunning gaze flickered to him as though he was inconsequential to this situation, before she returned her irritated gaze to Sam. It felt the same as a person dismissing a fly on the wall, if it were too high to reach with a fly swatter. Dean blinked several times when he finally matched the face with the voice he'd heard over the phone that day in the hotel room.

She was beautiful, not in the conventional sense, but classically, the kind of woman a man remembers for the rest of his life and counts his blessing that she _choose_ him. The woman was wearing a five thousand dollar custom-made suit, with black custom leather boots that might have fed a small orphanage for a month. The patina to her glossy dark hair was stunning and Dean found that he couldn't quite look away. He knew he should, that he _needed_ to, but he couldn't.

She raised an elegant dark eyebrow and then looked back at Sam. "New maintenance guy?" It was snide and meant to cut…and it did, right to the marrow.

Dean's blonde eyebrows cut down in irritation at her tone. But before he could answer, Sam stepped in, claiming the conversation before it could spiral out of control. "Meg Masters, this is Dean Winchester. He gave me a ride so I could make it home for Christmas." It was said so matter of fact that Dean had to look away to ensure that his indifferent mask stayed firmly in place. He didn't need either of these people to know that that comment had wounded him in a way nothing else could have. Hearing Sam call him, basically, inconsequential to the situation at hand…nothing more than the chauffeur…it hurt, more than it should.

She thinned her plump lips at that. "I'm sure he did." Sam shot Dean a desperate look to 'please stay quiet', when he started to open his mouth and she continued on as though she hadn't seen the exchange. "If he was just your ride? Why is he still here?"

Adam ran in at that moment, a wide grin spreading quickly as he traipsed through the three adults. "Dean stayed for breakfast. He's cool, Meg." The little boy's lack of comprehension of the situation at hand might have been comical if the air hadn't been so thick with tension it could be cut with a dull knife.

Meg turned toward the little boy and smiled broadly. "That was so sweet of your father to do that. I'm sure Dean was grateful for the hot meal." Her voice was dripping with a syrupy sweetness that was completely contrary to her icy glare.

The not so veiled insult wasn't lost on either Sam or Dean as they stared at her in shock at the blatant disrespect she'd just shown the shorter man. Meg looked straight at Dean when she spoke next. "But I'm sure he must have somewhere he has to be for the holidays? Don't you?" She finished.

Sam started to defend his guest, but Dean beat him to it, his voice was cold and dead when he answered. "As a matter of fact I do. I didn't realize how late it was." He barely glanced at Sam before quickly gathering up his leather jacket. "Sam, it was great meeting you…and Adam…" He knelt down and the child barreled into him like he was the kid's long lost uncle or something. "Thank you for showing me your awesome toy collection, kiddo." He hugged the small boy and hastily hauled himself back to his feet.

Sam was flying apart inside as he watched Dean prepare to walk out of his life forever. He was bound by promises that he couldn't break and standing here with Meg less than five feet from Dean, he couldn't exactly explain those promises to the other man. But Sam's stomach was clenching painfully as the blonde started toward the front door. He'd thought that they would have all day to figure out what happens next…he had been so very wrong.

XXXX

Dean passed through the large ornate entryway and out into the lightly falling snow. He fought the nearly overwhelming impulse to turn and see if Sam had stepped to the door to watch him leave. His mind was replaying the beautiful family scene he'd been allowed to partake in all morning. The scene with a child and with someone that might actually love him, but it was just a fantasy and he'd allowed himself to be seduced by it. Time has a way of reminding one of their shortcomings…and Dean had been brutally reminded of his. And it sucked! It just fucking sucked!

The quickly gathering snow crunched under his boots as he stepped off the walkway and onto the driveway. The air was crisp and cold and it bit through his leather jacket. Dean shivered and then shoved his hands in his pockets for the keys. He glanced over at his beloved car let out a long slow breath. The Impala was dusted in a wintery white blanket and Dean clenched his teeth against the hollow spot in the vicinity of his heart.

 _How the hell did you let this happen, Dean?_ He asked himself as he quickly wiped his arm across the front window, clearing the snow off. Christmas lights twinkled up and down the street. When he'd been a kid, he'd loved the holiday. It meant that he could pretend, if only for that day, that he was a normal kid with a normal family. But then everything had changed when he'd seen something that he shouldn't have. That was the night his entire life fell apart and it had been Christmas Eve.

Since then he'd despised the holiday, right up until today. Seeing Sam with Adam? Dean hadn't realized how much he wanted that. He knew he couldn't have it, not with his past. But that didn't stop the desire.

His eyes were drawn to the house and he frowned when he saw Meg staring out the enormous front window. He didn't need great eyesight to clearly make out her angry expression. Hell, he didn't even need mediocre vision to see that.

Dean slipped behind the wheel of the Chevy and fired up the engine. She purred to life and the familiar rumble made him feel slightly better. He was just putting it into reverse when Sam raced from the house. He was waving his arms, a package in one hand and a plate covered in plastic wrap in the other.

"Dean!" Sam called loudly. It was the devastated look on his face that halted Dean's retreat. He made the mistake of looking in the rearview mirror and he couldn't make himself drive away. Not from that _look…_ and not from Sam.

It took every cell in Dean's body to press on the brakes and wait for Sam to approach the car. _Just let it go, Sammy._ He thought silently. When he didn't roll down the window, Sam knocked twice with his knuckles. The lawyer wasn't wearing a coat and his teeth were already starting to chatter when Dean shook his head in resignation before leaning over and popping the passenger side lock.

Sam quickly yanked the door open and slipped into the car. "It's not much warmer in here than out there." He said through clenched teeth.

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Well to be fair, the car has been running for about sixty seconds." The other man didn't immediately answer, so he went on. "What do you want, Sam?"

His head tilted to the side and the long brown locks fell into his eyes. Sam held up the plate of food. "Thought you should get to eat something."

"Thanks."

Sam pulled in slow breath. "And I wanted to apologize." He waited for Dean to ask what he had to be sorry about, but he never asked. Sam continued. "I didn't know she was coming over. She's not supposed to be in town."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" This shouldn't be bothering him like it was and Dean was frustrated with his own reaction to seeing Sam's _fiancé._ Hell, he had a _wife_ and Sam hadn't reacted the way he was when he learned about her. Although, his was a marriage of necessity and not one of love, but Sam didn't know that. And if Dean had his way, the man sitting next to him would _never_ know what had happened.

Sam shook his head. "No. No, it shouldn't make you feel better." He set the food down and reached for Dean's limp hand. It was resting on his thigh and the brush of Sam's knuckles along his muscled leg sent a thrill of heat through Dean. "But this should." If the feeling of Sam's hand had caused a reaction inside him, the feel of his lips on Dean's shocked mouth sent shivers through him. Trying not to kiss Sam back would have been like stopping the tide from coming in, impossible.

The warm supple lips moved with an intensity that was undeniable and Dean was helpless against the power of his own magnetic reaction to the lawyer. His hand moved of its' own accord and he gently twisted his fingers into Sam's silky hair. The increasing beat of his heart and the shivers clambering through his body barely registered as Dean lost himself in Sam.

As quickly as it had started it was over and Sam was climbing from the car. He leaned back in and forced a painful smile as Dean let the confusion wash across his expression. "I didn't want you to leave without knowing how I feel." He said softly.

"Am I?" Dean asked. "Still leaving?"

Sam pulled in a long breath and then nodded once. "I can't blow apart my life, Dean. I had a plan and…" He lifted his hand and then dropped it listlessly to his side. "…I can't throw that all away…I'm sorry." His breathing hitched. "You have no idea how sorry I am."

The wall slid into place and Dean nodded. He couldn't afford to let Sam see how much this hurt. It wouldn't do either of them any good. "I think I have an idea." He shot back quietly. "I hope you get everything you want, Sammy." He meant the sentiment, but it was killing him inside to utter those words. He'd never felt the way he did when he was around Sam. _Just my luck, I meet someone I want and they don't want me._ The thought slipped past his guard and struck him hard.

Words failed Sam as she stared down at the sexy blonde man in the black car. Emotions were running amuck inside him and he wasn't sure what to say. Or if he should say anything at all. Would he just make this harder on them both? He wasn't being fair to Dean or himself. He knew that they couldn't be together; it wasn't in either of their best interest. So he pulled his lower lip between his teeth and stood up.

"Good bye, Dean." It was soft and lacking the turbulence of his inner turmoil.

Dean sat back and watched as Sam gently pushed the passenger door shut. He swallowed the pain and whispered. "Good bye, Sammy." He quickly placed the car in reverse before either of them could make another mistake.

XXXX

The storms had blown back in and Dean was just pulling into a gas station to fill up before blowing town when he realized that he was being followed. The blacked out SUV cut him off before he could reverse out of the one-way entrance. In front of him were gas pumps and behind was the SUV. Either way it was about to get heated. He thought about taking his chances with the pumps, but a shot fired from inside the other vehicle stopped him short.

Dean slowly raised his hands and let his head drop forward onto his chest. He hadn't made it out before they found him…not good. The door of the SUV slowly opened and an enormous man in a custom tailored suit stepped out into the snow as the wind whipped it around his feet. Held loosely in his left hand was a gold-plated pistol, without disrupting his perfectly pressed attire he raised the gun and expertly aimed it at Dean's chest; right through the front windshield. _Yeah, not very fucking good._ Dean thought in resignation. He'd avoided this for almost six years. He supposed he'd had a good run and at this point he didn't really have anything to keep fighting for.

So yeah, let them come...

TBC…

 **Author's Note:** _New chapter, yay! Sorry for the lag time in getting this posted. Hope you like it, we're getting into Dean's past now…so that should be fun. Thanks for reading and posting, much appreciated._

 **Please Review: Let me know if you're still reading and interested, thanks!**


	11. Realizations

_Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure. No copyright infringement intended._

 _ **Synopsis:**_ _Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home to his not so perfect life for the holidays, but when a freak snowstorm stands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming he may find a new reason to celebrate the season. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson during the most festive time of the year, he might just have found something worth believing in._

 **NOTE:** This story focuses on un-related Sam and Dean as they find one another on a blustery Christmas night. It is a romantic Christmas story. Light on the SLASH action, but it is there. Rated T.

 **NOTE:** _ **If you read my other Supernatural stories (which are NOT slash) or Hawaii Five-0 stories and do not read SLASH, please stop reading now…you have been warned.**_

M/M relationship

 _Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, all grammatical errors are my own._

 _ **Please Review: So I know there's interest**_

 **Chapter 11**

 _Realizations_

"Dean Winchester." The low growl of his father-in-law's voice rumbled through the room. "Been a long time, son." Charles Ancelle stepped into the darkened room. The air was stagnant and chilly, or it could have been his lack of a coat. The goons that Charles had sent had taken his leather jacket… _assholes_. And the pressure inside the room was so thick it seemed to be shoving Dean down. Or maybe it was his mood, he wasn't sure.

He chose to remain silent rather than give the bastard the satisfaction of a response. He had a lot of things he wanted to say to this man, none of which would bode well for his health. He might be _technically_ married to the man's daughter, but that wouldn't save him from Charles Ancelle's goons. The last time that had happened he had spent three weeks convalescing from the broken ribs. Not a good time.

"So silent, Dean. If you'd been this silent twelve years ago we wouldn't be in this predicament, now would we." He strode across the floor, the heels of his boots clicking on the expensive marble flooring. With a detachment that spoke of years dealing with the underbelly of the city of Chicago, Ancelle watched Dean and Dean watched him.

" I didn't want to interrupt your big bad guy speech. I remember how much you hated that." The snarky comment got him cuffed up side the head and he ground his teeth together in irritation. He rolled his gaze over to the large black man standing next to him. The man stared back with dark, slightly crazy eyes and that bad feeling slithered up out of his gut again. _This really isn't my day._ He thought silently. "Really Gordon." Dean groused in a low voice. "That the best you got? You used to be a lot better at this."

The deep brown eyes of the other man darkened and he started forward before Charles raised his hand to stop his man from pummeling Dean's face in. A fact for which Dean was immensely grateful, he'd seen what this man was capable of and he didn't want to end up on the wrong side of Gordon's knife. The psycho fancied himself an artist and that never boded well for those that found themselves as his canvas.

"Keep talking Winchester." The gravelly sound of the threat made his skin crawl and had him remaining silent once again.

Dean's green gaze flickered over to Charles. "So what's the plan here Charles? You can't kill me. You're the mayor, people wouldn't like it if their mayor killed his own son in law." He shrugged. "It's not very _mayory_."

Charles smiled, but there was no warmth in that tight lipped smile. He shook his head. "No, Dean. I'm not going to kill you. But I don't have to save you either."

 _That_ got Dean's attention. "What?" He was well and truly confused.

"I've sheltered you from them for long enough and now I don't feel the need to do that. So this is where you and I part company." He started walking away and Dean felt his fear rise and block his throat.

"What are you talking about?" He managed.

"You've made enemies Dean." He leaned in grabbed Dean's chin tipping it up so he had a better view. "I've stepped between them and you for too long. But no more, kiddo. You broke Carmen's heart when you left and now they can have you."

Dean felt something akin to guilt as he watched the retreating back of the man that plucked him off the streets and given him a job. There was a time when Dean would have done anything for that man's approval. But things had changed when Dean had moved up through the rank and file of Charles's men. He learned what was really happening in the organization…and then he'd become more involved.

The cold air brushed along his skin and he shivered. Gordon smiled as he stepped closer to Dean's immobilized body. He leaned down and let his fingers sift through the soft blonde hair before leaning closer. "They're going to make you wish you were dead." He whispered.

In a moment of lost control, Dean swung his head to the side and ignored the flash of pain as his forehead smashed into Gordon's unprotected nose. The sickening crack of his nose echoed through the small room.

"You son of a bitch!" Gordon ground out past the pain and the blood. He surged to his full height before slamming his palm into Dean's chest.

The air whooshed out of the seated man and the momentum caused the chair to topple over backwards. Pain shot through Dean as his arms were pinned beneath the back of the chair and his head collided painfully with the cement floor. The sudden burst of white colliding stars momentarily stole his eyesight as bit the inside of his cheek.

"That was a very stupid thing to do, Dean." Gordon said before he flipped off the lights and plunged Dean into darkness.

He groaned as the air whistled through his nose and he finally started breathing again. The severity of his situation was not lost on him as the cold seeped into his bones. No one knew where he was and the ones that were about to find out? Well, to say that they wanted him dead was a bit of an understatement. How had he let it get this point…a pair of blue-green eyes, framed by longer than necessary sable locks flashed before him. _Sam_ …

XXXX

Sam stared out at the softly falling snow. A fire crackled happily in the stone fireplace and the twinkling lights of the season were filling the atmosphere with colorful joy. But he didn't feel that way. Meg had headed home after a quick dinner and some dessert, she had an early day. Adam had had so much excitement that he'd fallen asleep while they watched 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' for the fourth time. Ellen had gone home to her own family once Sam was back and everything seemed to be in order…which left only Sam and his rambling thoughts.

There had been something off about Dean's decision to come back to Chicago. He hadn't seemed at all happy about the prospect, although the fact that he had a wife here should have made it an easy decision. Yet Sam hadn't gotten that impression. In fact he was pretty sure that Dean had been scared to come back to the city.

He took a sip of the rum-laced eggnog and swallowed the lump that had threatened to choke him when it occurred to him that he might never see Dean again. In one moment he'd managed to obliterate his chances at being happy again. Not since Jessica had Sam felt this kind of _connection_ with someone else. Part of him had thought that that would fade once Dean's delicious body and ridiculously handsome face were no longer in front of him. _No such luck, Wesson._ He thought ruefully.

"Daddy?" Adam's sleepy words pulled him out of his musings and he turned to see his son wiping at tired blue eyes. His footy pajamas, still a little big for him, scuffed across the hardwood floor as he moved to climb onto Sam's lap.

"Hey, kiddo. What're you doing up?" Sam asked as he lifted the child up and wrapped him in a hug.

A huge yawn escaped Adam before he laid his head on his father's chest. "I couldn't sleep."

"Too many new toys to play with?" Sam's dimples deepened as he smiled down at the blonde haired child. Adam reminded him everyday of Jessica and Sam was grateful for it. He could so easily have lost everything when she died, but they'd been lucky enough to have this bundle of energy and joy.

Adam turned huge blue eyes up at him and shook his head. "No, I was worried about Dean." He said with a small shrug of his shoulders.

Pain ghosted over Sam's face before he schooled his expression into one of genuine concern. "Why are you worrying about Dean? He had to go see his own family on Christmas, buddy. It wouldn't be very nice if we kept him all of Christmas Day, now would it?"

A very adult expression caused Adam's lips to thin into a straight line and he turned so he could see his father better. "But dad, Dean said he didn't have a family to spend Christmas with. He was going to be alone. That's a pretty bad Christmas."

Wisdom that no child should have slapped Sam across the face. He sat back and stared down at his son. He'd known that Dean didn't have anywhere else to go and yet he'd essentially kicked him out of his house that afternoon. The regret was two-fold now, not only had he lost a potentially important relationship, but he'd also hurt someone he'd come to care for. Why it had taken Adam to point it out he had no idea.

"Yeah, that's a really bad Christmas." Sam muttered softly.

"Do you think you could find him? Maybe he can come over for New Years? That way he won't be alone for two holidays."

Sam chuckled. "When did you get so smart?"

Adam looked slightly offended. "Just born this way."

"Ah hah…how about I go out tomorrow morning and see if I can find Dean?" If he could have packed Adam up and gone that night he would have. But that didn't seem like a great plan, what with the snow increasing and the small fact that he had absolutely no idea where to find Dean.

Adam grinned a wide toothy smile. "Can I come?"

"We'll see."

XXXX

Sam was ready to pull his hair out. The anxiety that he'd been feeling all day had increased to an ear-piercing hum of dread. He'd been driving around the city for the past four hours and he was no closer to finding Dean than he had been when he'd been at home on the couch.

He'd even broken down and called in some favors at the police precinct and no one had seen the Impala that Dean loved so much. So that was leaving Sam with a nasty feeling in the pit of his stomach and a headache that was starting to blur his vision. The lawyer had called Ellen and she'd been more than happy to have Adam for the night and he'd been out searching ever since. He couldn't ask for an all-points-bulletin to be put out on Dean, even if every cell in his body was screaming at him to do exactly that.

A part of him was wondering if he should call Dean's _wife_ …even thinking the word sent tingles of regret coursing through him. Sam wasn't the type of guy that ruined marriages. He wasn't the type of guy that cheated with other people's spouses or significant others…but with Dean? He had. He had fallen into the man's arms; and later into his bed like a willing sacrifice and now he couldn't undo the fallout. Sam was falling in love with Dean.

 _Was…I am in love with him._ Sam thought ruefully. _And now I may have lost him because I wasn't willing to risk anything to see where this thing goes._ The snow started picking up and he found that he had to pay more attention to the icy conditions or he was likely to end up in a ditch. _Or wrapped around a telephone pole._

He grabbed his phone and quickly scrolled to Dean's number hitting the call button. "Come on Dean. Answer the damn phone." He grumbled in frustration.

"Hey, this is Dean. You know what to do." The phone clicked over to voicemail and Sam hit 'end' in disgust.

"I swear to God Dean, if you are ignoring my phone calls I'm going to punch you." But the edge in his voice had nothing to do with anger and everything to do with fear. The same hollow ache he'd felt after Jessica died settled in his chest and Sam found he had to swallow the lump forming in his throat. "Please call me back…" he whispered into the empty air of his car.

TBC…

 **Author's Note:** _Hello! And no I haven't abandoned any of my stories, just got caught up in real life and had to put my focus there for a while. I have a goal to finish all my 'in progress' stories before I start any new ones. So I hope to accomplish this in the next few weeks. Anyways…here's the update and don't worry. I'm not planning on beating the crap out of either of the boys before they're reunited. But they probably won't escape unscathed…so yeah, if you have a moment please leave a review._

 **Please Review, so I know I haven't completely lost all of the readers for this one. Thank you.**


	12. Unexpected Phone Call

_Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure. No copyright infringement intended._

 _ **Synopsis:**_ _Sam Wesson is trying desperately to get home to his not so perfect life for the holidays, but when a freak snowstorm stands him in a tiny airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming he may find a new reason to celebrate the season. Dean Winchester doesn't believe in miracles and he has never stayed in one place for more than a few months. But when he meets Sam Wesson during the most festive time of the year, he might just have found something worth believing in._

 **NOTE:** This story focuses on un-related Sam and Dean as they find one another on a blustery Christmas night. It is a romantic Christmas story. Light on the SLASH action, but it is there. Rated T.

 **NOTE:** _ **If you read my other Supernatural stories (which are NOT slash) or Hawaii Five-0 stories and do not read SLASH, please stop reading now…you have been warned.**_

M/M relationship

 _Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, all grammatical errors are my own and I hurried through the chapter to get it posted. Sometimes that means missed words...sorry for that._

 _ **Please Review: So I know there's interest**_

 **Chapter 12**

 _Unexpected phone call_

Sam leaned against the driver's side door. The snow had slowed to a steady falling blanket of white. He was reminded of a simpler time when things weren't so confusing and his heart was still his own. A small breeze pushed snow across the rising the mounds of white in soft puffs of snowflakes. But life seemed to have a plan and whether or not he was on board; it was going to happen.

He shook himself out of his thoughts and sighed. He needed to find Dean and it was obvious that that wasn't going to happen without some help. Sam pulled out his phone. A moment later a man answered.

"Hello?" There was a hesitation to the voice that was not lost on Sam.

"Hi Jason, it's Sam. I'm so sorry to bother you on Christmas, but I was wondering if you can help me run down a location?" He waited for the answer and hoped that Jason would be willing to do this for him. It wasn't normal for lawyers to call police chiefs and ask for favors.

"Sam." Jason's voice was surprised, but pleasant. "What can I do for you?" A child's voice rang out in the background and Sam was reminded that his own son was home with someone else on Christmas. His heart clenched at that thought, but the thought of Dean out there and possibly in trouble over-shadowed it. That and the fact that Adam would be so disappointed in him if he didn't at least make sure Dean was okay this Christmas.

"Have you heard of Dean Winchester?"

There was an intake of breath on the other end of the line and then a sigh. "I have. Why?"

"Any chance you can track his car?" Sam knew it was a long shot. The Impala was old enough that it wouldn't have any sort of electronic tracking systems. But maybe they could track it another way?

"Sam, that's not, strictly speaking, legal. Which you, as a lawyer, are well aware of." The pause in the conversation had Sam thinking that that was it and this call had resulted in nada. "But I'll see what I can do." The other man finally finished.

A rush of relief flooded through Sam and blew out the breath he'd been holding. "Thank you, Jason. I really appreciate any help on this one."

"Can I ask why you're looking for him, Sam?" The man heaved a long sigh and waited for a moment before adding. "He isn't the sort of person you generally deal with. He's a thief and he's been in jail twice for assault. Frankly, the only reason he's still on the street is because his father-in-law is the mayor." There was an uncomfortable silence as Sam waited for Jason to end the call. "He's trouble, Sam."

The lawyer took a moment to collect his thoughts and then swallowed thickly. The police chief wasn't telling him anything he didn't already know. But a part of him was certain that Dean wasn't the same man he'd been when he'd earned those nights in jail. _And there was no denying that Winchester had 'earned' those nights._ But there was no way that the handsome, funny and generous man that had driven Sam a thousand miles just so he could be with his son on Christmas could still be that _man_.

"Can you find him for me or not?" Sam asked in an even voice. He was careful to hide the irritation rising up inside him. That wouldn't get the lawyer what he wanted, which was the officer's help.

Jason cleared his throat at the simple question. He'd actually expected Sam to fight him and try to defend Dean Winchester's choices. But he hadn't done that; the lawyer had held his tongue and simply asked for help. "Yeah…yeah, let me see what I can dig up. How fast do you need it?"

"Honestly? Quicker would be better." Sam put the car in drive and pulled out onto the snow-covered street.

"Give me a couple hours."

"I really appreciate the help, Jason. Thank you." Sam was sincere and apparently Jason heard that in his voice.

"No worries, Sam. I'll call you as soon as I know anything." Jason hung up and Sam shook his head before making the turn toward home. There was no point in driving around the city alone and with no idea where he was going. Plus, Ellen probably wanted to get back to her own daughter Jo and her husband Bobby.

Sam pulled into his driveway, but he didn't get out of the warm car. He leaned his head against the steering wheel and let the disappointment wash over him. He had hoped to find some inkling of where Dean had gone, but he hadn't uncovered anything and now he was more than a little worried.

He wasn't a religious person. Hell, he didn't know if he even believed in a higher power. And yet when things went south in his life, Sam found that he would talk to this _higher power_. "I just need a little bit of help. That's all." He pulled in a long breath and finally turned off the car and stepped out into the snow.

XXXX

Dean was cold. Wherever Gordon had hauled him, it was probably down by the water, it was chillingly obvious that there wasn't any heat in the area. His head was getting fuzzy. But there was every chance that that was because he'd had his skull smashed into the cold concrete. He laid on the floor in the most uncomfortable position in the history of bound captives. Dean's shoulders were throbbing in a searing agony that made him wish he'd been born without arms. But then that would have made him more of a freak than he already was…so, maybe not.

He was reminded of most of his childhood. He'd spent a lot of it following his father from job to job, which meant that he'd never really had a home. And Dean had had to sleep on a lot of cold floors. Sometimes he even slept in the back seat of his dad's car. But then he'd met Carmen and he'd thought that his life had changed. That maybe things were going to go better for him, but that was before he'd met her father.

It hadn't taken five minutes for the man to pull Dean's police record and blackmail him into doing a whole lot of dirty work. Some of it had been bathed in blood. Oh, Dean had never actually killed anyone, but he'd sure as hell beat the holy loving shit out of people that owed that man money.

Dean had realized that he was in too deep when one of the men he'd been sent after was the son of a man known only as 'Crowley'. He was a businessman…or so he claimed. But Dean knew that he really ran the underbelly that fed Charles's network. Which meant that _Crowley_ was far more dangerous than Charles had ever been. And Dean had put this man's son in the hospital.

He felt the familiar pang of regret roll through him. He'd found out later that Charles was making a play for _Crowley's_ business and he'd used Dean to throw the other man off his game. And it had, Crowley's son had really recovered from that night. He'd been in a coma since that night and now it appeared as though Dean was going to pay for that mistake with his life.

His only regret at this point was…Sam. After spending years of his life with someone that he didn't love he'd finally found someone that he was willing to lay his heart on the line for. But as fate would have it, Sam wasn't ready to give that part of himself over to the idea of love.

That hurt worse than the pain that was keeping time with every beat of his heart. The tall lanky lawyer was everything that Dean had never known he wanted. But after spending the last few days with him and then meeting his charming little boy…Dean was lost. What Sam had was everything that the drifter had ever wanted. A family. A home. Someone to love. That infuriatingly gorgeous man managed to embody all of those things and this knowledge was cracking Dean's heart a little more with every beat.

The wind whistled outside of the small window that led to freedom. The window was letting a tiny amount of light into the room where Dean had been in complete darkness only moments before. The creak of a door had him stiffening in anticipation of what was coming.

"Sorry Sammy." He whispered into the beam of light that was now streaming into the cold bare room.

XXXX

Sam stared at the fire burning merrily in the fireplace. It was a direct contradiction to everything that he was feeling. He didn't feel warm and cozy. He felt cold and detached inside. The Christmas tree lights twinkled in the corner of the living room and it was only adding to the feeling of dread that had settled like a piece of coal in his gut.

The lead crystal glass, filled with scotch, hung limply in his loose fingers as he continued to stare at the dancing red and yellow flames. Sam had sank into the leather sofa with the bottle a few hours earlier and now he couldn't remember why he hadn't downed the whole thing. Because he would do anything to dull the pain that was stealing his sanity. He'd been well aware of the depth of emotional pain. He'd been subjected to it when Jessica had died and he'd barely made it through. Only the thought of Adam had kept him on this side of sober during the first few months.

And the pain of possibly never seeing Dean Winchester again was every bit as profound. What did that mean? He'd only just met the other man and yet he felt as though his heart was breaking into a million pieces.

"Dad?" Adam's small voice pulled Sam out of his own thoughts. He glanced up to see his young son hugging a small bear that Sam didn't recognize.

"Hey buddy. What're you doing up?" He held his arms out and Adam rushed forward. Sam pulled him up onto his lap and reached for the soft throw that was draped over the back of the couch. He wrapped his son in the blanket and hugged him close.

"I had a bad dream." His small voice shook slightly and Sam's heart ached for the boy. He'd been having nightmares on and off since he'd lost his mother. Apparently tonight was going to be one of those nights.

"Oh kiddo…it was just a dream." Adam's arms tightened around the small brown bear with the goofy smile. "Where'd you get the bear?" Sam asked in an attempt to divert Adam's attention from the dream.

A bright smile spread across his pale cheeks. "Dean gave it to me."

Sam was taken aback by that. He hadn't realized that Dean had brought anything for his son and he certainly hadn't seen the other man give the toy bear to Adam. "He did?"

"Yup. He said Axel, that's the bear's name, used to be his co-pilot. But that he would leave him with me if I promised to take good care of him." Adam sounded so proud by that small amount of trust that had been placed in him that Sam couldn't stop the slow smile that pulled at his lips.

"Well, I'm sure you'll be a great caretaker."

Adam turned his bright inquisitive eyes up on his father. "Did you and Dean have a fight?"

Sam's words were temporarily stolen by the direct nature of his son's question. He really hadn't considered that the 6 year old would figure out that things hadn't exactly ended amiably between himself and Dean. "Um…no, Dean and I didn't have a fight. He just…he promised his own family that he'd see them for Christmas. That's all."

"Dad, I told you Dean said he didn't have any family."

 _Why does my son have to be the one with the amazing memory?_ Sam wondered silently. "Ya, you did say that, didn't you…" He considered the wisdom of what he was about to say before he finally broke the news to his son. "I'm actually trying to find out where Dean went. I'd like to see if he wants to spend New Years with us."

The brilliant smile that split Adam's face was so endearing and infectious that Sam couldn't help but grin back. "Really?" Adam queried enthusiastically.

He ruffled the blonde hair. "Really." The sudden ringing of his cell phone pulled his attention and he nearly bent his spine in half trying to reach it an avoid dumping Adam onto the floor. He quickly glanced at the number, it was blocked.

"Jason? You find him?"

"Uh, yeah…my name is Carmen. Chief O'Malley said you're a friend of Dean Winchesters?" The woman's voice was completely unexpected. The fact that it was Dean's _wife_ made it doubly unexpected.

Sam spluttered. "Um…yeah. Do I know you?" His heart sped up and he would swear that it was trying to beat its way out of his chest.

"No. But if you're a friend of Dean's I'm hoping you can help him." She pulled in a labored breath. "I think my father…" Her voice thickened with emotion. "I think Dean is in trouble."

"Do you know where to find him?" Sam couldn't help the hope that infused itself into his words as he waited for her answer. Adam was staring at him in concern. The moment he'd heard Dean's name he'd slid off Sam's lap and settled on the carpet at his father's feet.

"I think so. Sam, I don't know what he's told you about us. But I'm truly worried for his safety. I've moved on. My father won't accept that and I think he's done something very stupid." She sniffed. "Please help Dean."

"Tell me where he is and I will. I promise." His heart went out to this woman. He'd thought when he'd seen her on television that she would be a cold fish. But he could hear the honest concern in her warm voice. She was a woman that was related someone that she clearly had issues with. But the fact that Dean had been hauled into those issues wasn't sitting well with her.

"I'm calling Chief O'Malley back once we're off the phone. I'm going to go on record about the business dealings with Crowley and my father. This has to stop. With my testimony and Dean's, we should be able to put them both away so they can't hurt anyone else."

"Carmen, are you sure you want to do this? I mean…he's your father." Sam didn't want to dissuade a witness, but he also didn't want her regret this down the road.

"I'm sure. I should have done it a long time ago. But I was so wrapped up in my own stuff that I just couldn't see what was best." She sighed. "I'll text you the address and I'll have the chief send over units too."

"I've got to call a sitter for my son, but then I'll head over there." He wasn't exactly sure what he was going to do that the police couldn't.

Fifteen minutes later he was in his car and driving at breakneck speed toward the warehouse where Carmen believed her father had taken Dean. His heart was definitely trying to pound through his chest at this point. Sam's over-active imagination was coming up with all sorts of horrible things that could be happening to the drifter. He'd seen far too many crime scene photos when he'd worked as an assistant DA during the first five years of his career. None of that was helping him find a sense of calm as he cranked the wheel around the corner and the rear end of the car swung out as it slipped on the ice.

The wind had picked up and while it wasn't snowing anymore it was starting to blow and drift the existing snow. All of this was combining to make the driving conditions hazardous. Normally Sam wouldn't be caught dead on these roads, but this wasn't just any reason. This was Dean.

TBC…

 **Author's Note** _: Hi all. Sorry I've been absent from here for a bit. But I am trying to actually finish these stories before posting the new stuff. I apologize and send up this new chapter as penance. Please take a moment and leave a review._

 _Happy New Year!_


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